Vancouver Island is black bear territory, but grizzlies aren’t far away. Take a wildlife tour or go bear-watching in remote and wild areas of this region.
A short floatplane or boat ride from Vancouver Island leads to incredible grizzly bear watching in Knight Inlet and Bute Inlet. Interestingly, there have been a few cases of ambitious grizzlies spotted on northern Vancouver Island, presumably after swimming over from the mainland.
When driving through the more remote parts of Vancouver Island, there’s a good chance of spotting a black bear snuffling through grasses on the side of the road. To increase the odds of seeing a black bear, venture into the waters of Clayoquot Sound on a Tofino bear-watching tour or head to the Port Alberni boardwalk and gaze across the river.
Bear Watching Highlights on Knight and Bute Inlets
Grizzly and black bears thrive in Knight Inlet and Bute Inlet. These long fjords cut through the remote Coast Mountains on the mainland just east of Vancouver Island.
Bear-watching tours travel to these wild, natural environments from central and northern Vancouver Island. The scenic views from the boat or floatplane to the bear-watching areas are often considered as much of a highlight as the bears themselves.
In spring, guides direct quiet river boats along the shoreline to glimpse grizzlies chewing sedge grasses and crunching mussels. This is a great time for photos, as the bears are at eye level from the boat and are set against a rich green backdrop of grasses.
Beginning mid- to late-August, viewing platforms provide elevated vantage points to watch bears splashing and interacting as they chase and pounce on spawning salmon.
Tours range from a full day to up to a week, and depart from Campbell River, Telegraph Cove or Port McNeill.
Bear Watching in Tofino (Clayoquot Sound)
At low tide, bear-watching boat tours leave from Tofino and glide to the inlet waters of Clayoquot Sound. When the receding tides expose rocky shorelines, black bears amble along the beaches, flipping over stones in search of marine delicacies such as crabs and barnacles. Bring binoculars to get the best look at bears, seals, eagles and even porpoises that inhabit the sound.
Most tours are from April to October and are approximately 2.5 hours long. Tours also depart from Ucluelet to look for bears in the Ucluelet Harbour.
Bears on the Boardwalk in Port Alberni
Stroll along the Victoria Quay boardwalk in Port Alberni during low tide to spot local black bears doing what bears do best: eating.
The viewing is best June to October, as that’s when the black bear’s favorite menu item – salmon – swims upstream. Big mother bears with playful cubs are sometimes spotted, as are solitary bears with fish or river mussels on their mind.
There is no cost, and the Somass River is between the boardwalk and the bears so it’s considered a safe place for viewing. Binoculars aren’t necessary, but would be a good way to get an up-close peek. Bring a camera.
Bear Safety
For the safety of humans and bears, always follow these strict but simple precautions from BC Parks and the Commercial Bear Viewing Association of BC:
- Choose a bear-viewing operator that is respectful and protective of the bears and their needs.
- Bears may approach humans for many reasons; most are not threatening reasons. During an uncomfortably close encounter, stay calm, don’t move quickly, never run and listen to the wildlife viewing guide.
- Never feed or approach a bear – even to get that perfect photo. Hungry or angry bears can attack without warning. Do not use flash photography around bears.
- Vehicles should be well off the road when viewing or photographing wildlife.
- Leave the pets at home or on a very tight leash to avoid attracting or angering bears.
- To avoid human food conditioning of bears, food or beverages other than water should not be consumed near habitats that are frequented by bears.
Read Less