Cubs in crisis
Orphaned young grizzlies find themselves on very different paths to survival…
Bear necessities...
Pepper (left) has to fend for himself when he’s separated from mum Felicia
In Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, spring is in the air. As young grizzlies emerge from hibernation and begin to learn from their mums, cub Pepper is all alone and left to fend for himself. Meanwhile, in Montana, orphaned Alaskan cub Max has found a new home at a sanctuary run by
Casey Anderson.
This documentary compares how Max’s life in captivity will compare to Pepper’s life in the wild.
‘I fell in love with Max when I saw him, but he should have been in the wild and there he was in a dog kennel, terrified of everyone,’ says Max’s surrogate ‘momma bear’ Casey.
Mimic
‘At the sanctuary, we do our best to mimic what his life would be like in the wild, giving him replacement bear milk and introducing him to food like berries and salmon.
‘He has razor-sharp claws that can slice you open, but he has to feel safe around us, and vice versa. It’s a delicate dance trying to gain trust, but the true risk is that he can kill you.’
Despite his success raising rescued bears, Casey believes they should remain in the wild. So when he receives a call to help Pepper, who’s struggling, he has a tough choice to make.
‘Everyone only wants to see awesome things in nature, but this happens every day,’ says Casey. ‘I can intervene, or I can let nature take its course.
‘This is the greatest life for Max, but it doesn’t have to be the greatest for Pepper. Bears should have the chance to grow up grizzly.’