Just seconds after taking this photograph, this female Black Bear returned to her cub. In the bushes along the side of the river she found a new born Elk Calf and chased it down right in front of us. The cub started calling to find its mother who was holding the elk calf down. She then, as part of the teaching process, allowed the cub to attempt to kill the calf. Because of the cubs inexperience this was a long, drawn out process and the calfs distress calls alerted the female elk, she came and "barked" at the sow bear and her cub but it was too late to save the calf. This may all seem cruel or mean but this has been natures way for quite some time. While it is common for grizzly bear to chase down an elk calf this was quite unusual for a black bear..
The top photo is the mom on right, cub in middle and elk calf right of cub.
