Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska, United States

This picture was taken while a small cub of the year (known as a COY), waited along the banks of the Brooks River for its mother. The powerful sow had waded through the current in search of salmon, while her cub lingered in the tall grass, tugging at green shoots and playing in the riverbank’s shelter. Such moments capture the delicate balance of life in Katmai, with a mother’s endless work to provide and a cub’s innocent wonder as it learns the world around it. 

By the end of their first summer, cubs begin to supplement their all-milk diet with grasses, roots, and fish scraps, although nursing remains essential. Growth comes quickly, and by their first year, males may weigh nearly 200 pounds, and females about half that. Each gain is more than weight; it is a measure of enduring strength, nurtured by care and the timeless bond between sow and cub.