I ran into a friend who drives Bear Watching boats the other day. He was in a hurry as he had a boat load waiting for him so I couldn’t chat too much. He’s out there far more than I am,so has a good idea of whats going on. So I quickly asked him how this years cub count was? He told me he hadn’t seen a single one!
I found that alarming! I suspect I know why? The last two years we’ve had poor salmon returns. When the female doesn’t get enough protein she will not get pregnant. It’s Natures way of controlling the numbers. Last thing you want to do is have more mouths to feed when the cupboards are bare!
Why are there fewer salmon…………us. Far too many salmon are being harvested out in the ocean. They don’t get a chance to return. It’s that simple.
So because we are raping the oceans the effects of that action trickle down. One of the effects is that fewer cubs are being born this year (and last).
Having said that I ran into another friend a few days later and without me asking she told me she saw a Sow with two cubs playing on her property down by the water! The cubs were smaller than normal but I suspect that was because of the mother being smaller than normal. Probably her first cubs?
Another effect of fewer salmon is that the Southern resident Orca’s are starving! A beloved Orca K-21 (Cappuccino) has gone missing and is suspected to of passed. Now having said that his death is suspected to be more old age than loss of salmon. There are very few Southern Residents to begin with. (74)
Tofino Photography 
Wayne that is a gorgeous Bear cub photo and an excellent post. Once again man the apex predator of the environment strikes again. I will not capitalize it Man with an upper case M because of abject mistreatment of planet Earth. Nature knows when breeding is too dangerous for Bears I guess and Cappuccino did have a long life. But starvation at the end of his days could have been prevented if Salmon overfishing by man stopped yesterday – many yesterdays ago. Best, Babsje
It’s a sad situation all around Babsje! Thanks for dropping in!
You’re welcome. Keep up your advocacy. It’s important.
Beaufitul photos, Wayne, if seeing them is a sad testament to our tragic times as we mistreat Mother Earth. God entrusted humankind with the stewardship of everything on Earth and we’ve blown it big time.
with regards to our species evolution…….our brain is a two sided blade.
An adorable cub. I read yesterday that the rising temperature from climate and forest fires is warming the water which is also killing the fish. We all are in serious trouble.
unfortunately I would have to agree with you Jane. Our species is far too successful and out numbers are out of control.
Ironically we act like a virus on this earth.
Sending love and ligtht to all God’s creatures.
Thank you Annette! I can see you reading to a bunch of cubs!
The winsome upright bear cub was certainly unexpected! I’m sorry to hear about one more way that humans are negatively impacting the creatures with whom we share this fragile planet.
I suspect our sheer numbers are now impacting the earth in ways we are not familiar with. We are past the tipping point.
I fear the same . . .
I hope we wake up and change our ways soon. It’s not fair to all the living things we harm by being the way we are.
We impact Nature in new ways each day,which is us basically.
😢
I do love your shot of the cub!
thank you Donna,the relaxed look reminds me of a Winnie character………Farmer bear outstanding in his meadow!
A beautiful bear cub and your photo is perfect. People can be so greedy in so many ways. It breaks my heart to hear about the orcas.
Yes,the Orca’s are having a hard time.
I still say that If there was enough salmon around, K-21 wouldn’t of died.
It’s such a shame what is happening to our oceans. I wish that we could come together and make more of a positive impact to our oceans and waterways.
The more that people write articles like this, the more people will realize all of the effects of what’s being done by pollution and over-consumption. Thank you for your article.
your welcome Kyra!
To put my finger on the problem,I believe there are too many humans on the planet?
Even If I had God like powers and could somehow bring the population down from 8 billion to one billion It would be right back up to 8 billion in ……….50 years…….100 years? We are too successful as a species.
So my only conclusion is…that as our numbers keep increasing our problems will increase as well.
We need to find another planet…
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog and commented:
Just one more example of how Humanity’s disregard for nature is leading to the demise of other species, as well as ourselves…
Greed, greed, greed. The basis of everything bad. My mother’s motto was “Everything in moderation” and we should have that imprinted on our brains.
Your mother was very wise! Yes,finding balance is the only truly sustainable position.
Reblogged this on NEW OPENED BLOG > https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
Thank you for sharing the news, Wayne! Even they are so sad, more people have to know what’s going on in our nature. We can not use anything for pleasure, and destroy most of the world. Best wishes, Michael
Thank you Michael,I feel the basic problem is that our numbers are too great. If the Earth was 10 times the size I’m sure we’d all be happy campers but because our numbers are so large we are affecting ecospheres on micro and macro scales.
I also believe this virus we are battling is a natural expression of Nature when a species runs unchecked.
The bear is looking so cute, Wayne. We all are suffering the brunt of our devastation. Thanks for the awesome post.
thank you Kamal,best wishes!
Welcome Wayne and same to you too 😊😊
I feel very sad when I read this sort of thing, Wayne. I am reading so much of it lately I fear the U.N.’s warning may have already come to late.
sorry to bring such sad news Robbie! It is what it is. Now…..having said that If we get a big run this year all the systems will go back into synch. So this may be a temporary situation?
What a pretty little furry fellow!
It makes me sick that the leaderships worldwide still do not react at the urgent warnings of the U.N. and so many climatic scientists…
Governments realize they cannot do anything of significance. We have grabbed onto the Tigers tail and now we are hanging on for dear life!
Such a cutie!
Thank You for writing this post, very important we are aware of our own impact.
my pleasure and thank you for dropping in!
i always enjoy seeing bears and saw one in summerland on Monday. This photo is a much clearer shot than I had as it galloped away. I agree with your conclusions that fewer salmon is happening now and it is affecting wildlife. There are huge factory ships that care nothing about sustainable harvesting and nothing blocks them as they are in international waters.
Thank you David. I believe our numbers are too great to maintain sustainably and this virus is Natures answer to that.
That’s rather depressing, isn’t it?
yes,you are right but………this may be a blip? If we get a big run this year everything will go back to normal!
Fingers crossed!
I’m hoping with the new fishing restrictions we will see a change in the salmon count, though aboriginal people are still able to commercial fish so I’m not sure how much it will help.
The time is now to take fishing completely off the table. It’s not like WE need fish to survive!
to make a signifagant improvement Jacquie I believe a moratoruim for 10 years would be necassary but we both know that ain’t going to happen.
The Northern Cod on the east coast collapsed after years of overfishing and It still hasn’t returned after decades.
In the end everybody is just going to be standing in a circle pointing their fingers at somebody else.
Unfortunately true, and it’s the wildlife who will pay the ultimate price.
A “like” for your cute cub standing up in the photo, but a “dislike” for us, the greedy people who want the salmon and harvest them before they reach the orcas or the bears. They, unlike your cub, are not classified as “stand-up” in any sense of the expression. That’s a real shame Wayne.
What we do,we are basically doing to ourselves. The Earth is our nest.
Yes … and now we cry “what happened?” The report on climate change that came published this week is very disheartening.
The ecosystems operating on this earth have been put imbalance so much so that even If humans disappeared tomorrow the affects would continue for years, maybe decades?
People talk about climate change and want “something” done but when It comes right down to it people are gun ho for change as long as “they” do not have to change or pay for it.
Two things each person can do is give up their car and do not have any children………..and we both know those words will fall on deaf ears.
So,our reign will end before this century is out and there isn’t a damn thing anybody can do about it.
Yes, it is too bad and too late as well. You and I will not be around for the end of the 21st century, but as you said, no one else will be around either … human, flora or fauna. All kaput. Look how some places around the world improved during the initial part of the pandemic – no cars on the road, no big freighters on the water … even the canals in Venice improved. It is radical to ask people to change their ways … very few would do it unfortunately.
Your right,many places seemingly improved while humans stopped searching for money.
Of course when humans are gone the same thing will occur and it’ll only continue to get better and better. It will regain equilibrium and be far more stable.
Unless they move to Mars with the billionaires. (Rolling my eyes about that.)
Humanity is so greedy…I suspect that climate change will sweep us off the face of the earth and then the animals (what is left of them) and re-establish some sort of balance. It’s a delightful photo of a cub btw.
you summed it up well Emma! We have made hundreds If not thousands of species go extinct and now we have our sights on us.
Adorable photo of the cub, Wayne, and the header photo with the three cubs is absolutely delightful.
thanks Jet,It’s a shame there are very few this year
I like the comment above where she said , greed, it always comes down to people wanting to make more money. They harvest to many and who knows how much of this harvest of salmon probably goes to waste.
there is what they call “By Catch”,which basically are fish they do not want. By the time they sort them out they are dead and so put them back into the ocean. There must be sharks all around these vessels?
Love the photograph, but it stresses me out that the entire earth is suffering because humans are so centered, nothing else matters till it’s an obvious problem.
Yes,Homo Sapiens are a strange species. I’m sure any Alien observing us would stay clear!