Grizzlies May See Better Than We Think!
For most photographers setting the tripod and focusing the telephoto lens while zooming in on the great bear's eyes is a thrill in itself. Many top shooters report that seeing the core of this mountain of muscle through their lens and being able to get this close, even though it's through optical glass, is the pinnacle of their shooting careers. Indeed having the " once in a lifetime " close up image of a thousand pound grizzly bear's eyes in focus is a true credit not only to the photographers ability but also to his nerves of steel.

Some bear biologist believe from their experiences that grizzlies can see very well at a distance or at least as well as humans.

Looking back to check the distance of my approach

The inquisitive eyes while eating sedge grass

It is a very common misconception that bears have poor eyesight. Grizzlies rely heavily on all their keen senses for their survival in the wilds. Bear viewing guides in various locations report that it can be common for a grizzly to react differently to a specific person than they may to another individual. Some animal trainers report that bears recognize and respond to the specific person that feeds them and not the food bucket. Trainers also report that grizzlies can see in great detail and may recognize a specific person from 200-300 feet away.

Always aware and not by sight alone

The piercing eyes tell warnings

Bear viewing guides also say that grizzlies see exceptionally well at low light levels, during foggy and misty weather conditions and can see well at night.

Brown bears like many animals eyes have a reflective layer called the tapetum lucidum lining the back of the eyeball. This layer reflects light back through the retina, allowing light to stimulate light sensitive cells in the retina a second time, thereby improving the bear's night vision. This lining in the back of the eye gives dogs, cats and many other nocturnal animals that distinct, bright eye shine when they come into light at night time.

A biologist from Palmer, Alaska reports there may be a tremendous variation in a bear's eyesight like that of humans. There may be many bears, like humans,with nearsighted or farsighted eyesight , and with increasing age, a bears sensory abilities may decrease in general. The bears eyesight may tend to get worse, hearing may be lost to a degree, as with humans each of the senses may start to deteriorate with age.

In general bear viewing guides seem to agree that the grizzly bear has a tendency to see more with his sense of smell than with his eyes. Guides also suggest that people have a misconception that because a bear did not respond directly to their movements or voices that the bear did not see them but in fact the bear smelled them long before the person may have seen or was aware of the bear.

Grizzlies even watch while they eat

Bears keep tract of other bears

Guides comment that photographers sometimes expect the bear to react to them by standing up, fleeing or showing some type of human expression for the camera. With bears the photographer must learn the bear does things his way and at his pace. From the day they were born grizzly bears have been imprinting their brain with the natural environment. Bears seem to trust their noses more than their vision.

A quote that seems appropriate here is that " most misconceptions about bears and bear behavior is born of limited experiences and assumptions" Photographer should appreciate how fortunate they may be to ever get a close up of a true wild grizzly bear. This is truly a rare event.