Close encounters of the furred kind: Grizzly bear gets a bit too close for comfort as she investigates wildlife photographers in Alaska
- Photographer Leighton Lum captured the images as the bears were tempted from their mountain territories
- One curious bear even came close enough to investigate the photographers and cameras for herself
- The bears pictured are coastal brown bears or grizzly bears, second only to the polar bear in size
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These powerful Alaskan bears have been caught close up and personal by a wildlife photographer as they catch salmon.
The group of photographers didn’t go unnoticed themselves – one curious bear even came close enough to investigate the photographers and cameras for herself.
Photographer Leighton Lum, 32, captured the amazing images as the bears were tempted from their mountain territories in order to bulk up for winter by catching fish.
A curious bear investigates Leighton Lum’s camera. These powerful Alaskan bears have been caught close up and personal by a wildlife photographer as they catch salmon
A bear splashes around fishing for Salmon in Alaska. Leighton Lum, 32, captured the amazing images as the bears were tempted from their mountain territories in order to bulk up for winter by catching fish
Leighton and a group of photographers didn’t go unnoticed themselves – one curious bear even came close enough to investigate the photographers and cameras for herself
Leighton said: ‘This particular female is named Crimp, due to the chunk missing out of her ear but she is one of the most tolerant bears in Lake Clark, very use to people and very peaceful. She was the only bear that took interest in the camera and went up to smell it before walking off.’
The bears that were caught on camera are coastal brown bears or grizzly bears, second only to the polar bear in size.
They generally hunt at this time of year due to the huge influx of salmon, who migrate up into rivers to spawn.
It’s enough fish to keep the bears nourished until spring when they can emerge from their winter hibernation dens.
A grizzly bear and cub stuck into a freshly caught salmon. Leighton Lum, 32, captured the amazing images as the bears were tempted from their mountain territories in order to bulk up for winter by catching fish
A bear wanders terrifyingly close to photographer Leighton Lum’s lens. Over the course of her trip, Leighton was able to picture 15 different bears, ‘each with their own personalities’
A bear wanders terrifyingly close to the lense. He added: ‘I love close encounters and wide-angle photography because it gives views a different perspective. You get to see different behaviours and curiosity that you just don’t get when shoot from afar. Bears are such characters, each one behaves differently and it’s fun to watch’
A curious bear investigates Lum’s camera. The bears that were caught on camera are coastal brown bears or grizzly bears, second only to the polar bear in size
An adorable grizzly bear cub poses for Leighton Lum. They generally hunt at this time of year due to the huge influx of salmon, who migrate up into rivers to spawn
He added: ‘I love close encounters and wide-angle photography because it gives views a different perspective. You get to see different behaviours and curiosity that you just don’t get when shoot from afar. Bears are such characters, each one behaves differently and it’s fun to watch.’
Over the course of her trip, Leighton was able to picture 15 different bears, ‘each with their own personalities.’
This included a snapshot of one of the behemoths eyeing a cub, as they sniffed towards the unlucky salmon they were tearing into.
A bear wanders terrifyingly close to Leighton Lum’s lens. Over the course of her trip, Leighton was able to picture 15 different bears, ‘each with their own personalities’