Bear Skeleton

We found the remains of a bear. We found him where the shrubs give way to grass near the Columbia River. We knew it was a bear from its large size, its big hand-like paw, its huge canines and a matted pile of light brown fur.

Bear skeleton found near the river not far from home

The coyotes must have feasted, and plenty of other animals too. Ravens, crows, eagles and stellar jays would have dined, along with raccoons, rodents, beetles, flies and worms. Parts of the bear were strewn about.
Black bears are common around here; grizzlies less so. It seems like a pretty big bear.
We don't fear bears as we ramble about the bush. We know they're out there, but they're shy. We make a lot of noise as we go along and they keep themselves out of sight.
I emailed photos of the carcass to our local conservation officers. They say they may investigate, that the poor thing may have been shot or struck by a vehicle. The idea saddens us. We like sharing our neighbourhood with bears and other creatures.
They face so many extreme challenges as they make their way through this human-ravaged landscape.