#bear610

[katmaibearfan]

610 is being really really cute right now

[katmaibearfan]

610 is doing so good this year 😍😍😍

i know I've talked about her a few times before, but for those who don't know: Most bears at Brooks River are emancipated at 2.5 or 3.5 years old. 610 was emancipated when she was just 1.5 years old, which many people very reasonably did not expect her to survive. But she did survive -- her growth was stunted, so she's quite small -- but she survived! and now she's 11 years old, and she's been so successful! She's getting so fat!!

[katmaibearfan]

610!!! i heard she was back but i kept barely missing her -- she looks so good!!!!

[katmaibearfan]

610 is lounging in the lower river! i have a real big soft spot for this little lady -- she's so small that she is often confused with subadult bears despite the fact that she is 11 years old. She was emancipated a year earlier than usual, at just 1.5 years old, and her growth is stunted as a result.

[katmaibearfan]

sweet little 610 (middle) and big ol' 151 Walker (right)

[katmaibearfan]

610 continues to be the cutest little lady around 🥰

[katmaibearfan]

610 and 28E played bitey face on a log 🥺

[katmaibearfan]

omg. omg. 503 Cubadult and 610 are courting.

610 is 11 years old and small. really, really small. 503 Cubadult is 12 years old, and big. really, really big.

They were both emancipated by their mothers at 1.5 years old, rather than the standard in Katmai of 2.5 or 3.5 years old. The difference between them is that 503 was adopted by an unrelated mother bear (435 Holly) who kept him until he was 3.5 years old, while 610 had to survive on her own -- and so her growth was stunted as a result.

idk man. im just having a lot of feelings about this. two bears who survived the same circumstance against all odds, but who took totally different paths. two of the miracle stories of brooks river: the little girl who survived all on her own when she never should have needed to, and the little boy who found a second family to take him in and keep him safe.

and they're courting! and he's so big! and she's so little!