Listen up to a baby cub with attitude; harsh, loud squawks piercing the silence at Branchs’ Seine River Lodge. 

Branch’s Seine River Lodge is peacefully located in the Boreal Forest of the Canadian Shield. Environmentally speaking, it is one of planet earth’s most important forests playing a significant role in the world’s climate, and home to vast amounts of endangered species. Quentin Branch, lodge owner says, “It’s rough, hilly, rocky, and home to an unparalleled number of lakes. Not to mention plenty of aspen, spruce, birch, and various pines. Thick, thick bush is therefore what you will find! If visitors aren’t on a trail, they will certainly find it challenging to navigate their way through the density.”

Furthermore, the lodge is neighbour to the world famous Quetico Park – a mecca of remote, wilderness canoeing!

Visitors to the lodge are occasionally bystanders to black bears wandering through the Lodge property. Although, Quentin says, “The sightings haven’t been as common in the past 10 years.  However previously we’ve had bear paw prints on our windows (peeking in – often when someone was in the cabin), and even had them on the grooves of our cabins.”

In this particular video of the bear with attitude, the mother bear was swimming in the lead, with a sibling close behind her. They arrived onto shore much sooner than this little one with attitude. Cubs are usually born in the January of the year and are dependent on their moms for approximately 16-17 months. Typically they will be “kicked-out” of the family the following May.

Generally black bears live in a fairly tight area of the bush, but travel throughout the area for food. Quentin says, “I don’t think they’re overly social! They tend to stick to the family unit (vs “pack” like wolves etc), although we’ve often seen multiple black bears on a food source. But one tends to eventually displace the other(s) from it.”

The Lodge advises that when walking in the bush (to avoid bears) is to make noise when you walk – whistle, carry a bell to jingle etc. This usually results in them running before you see them. Attacks on humans have happened but are rare overall.

Their diet is mostly plant based – various plants and vegetation – plus bugs ant larvae etc. Berries are a very important part of the black bears’ diet. Quentin continues, “In our area, blueberries are a staple in mid – late summer. They will eat meat (road kill etc). There have been sightings of black bears attacking newborn fawns or calf moose, but generally they are not predators.”

More information on black bear sounds & Branchs Seine River Lodge: