Wilderness lost
Brown bear aka Grizzly bear (Ursus horribilis), captive zoo animal, digitally accented
Wilderness lost
The victims of human beings come in all shapes and sizes, from the largest to the small. Gone are the days of grizzlies roaming the prairies of North America for roots and wolf pack leftovers. Everything associated with the prairies is turned to dust, blown to the corners of the globe. One has to travel far to seek out the last truly wild places, those nooks of nature that only the sun and clouds visit with regularity. Someday they too will be but a destination on someone’s itinerary.
The wandering, restless soul keeps wild places in their hearts, and when they venture forth into the wood they feel the ripples of time and days gone by flowing like the unstoppable river throughout the hollow skeleton of what once was a place of mystery and passion. The great bears have been pushed to the limit, needing protection even in their remaining strongholds, where man is still a visitor.
Golden aspens and billowing birch trees, where the sky is the only rooftop and every direction provides a window. We seek so much to regain the things we destroy, in nature and in love, so why should we weep at the humbleness and sad truth of a mighty creature napping in a concrete jungle? Because one glimpse into its eyes reveals the genes forged from rivers and floods, mountains and valleys, winters of endless desolation and summers of famine and frivolity with cubs. Wilderness was a catch phrase, now it is but a ghost, and time marches on leaving the ramshackled remnants of a once great species.
Mighty bear, the hunter, the spirit, symbol of what was and still should be American Wilderness. He, the gentile beast, should spend lazy days napping and berry picking and sratching in thickets of tender alders, pondering as only a wild bear ponders the cottonwood seeds. And yet this is not the way the story goes, this bear goes by the name of Bruce.
“The idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders.”
-Edward Abbey
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karolina
Outstanding!!
Mundy Hackett replied
Cheers to you Karolina!
Leah Highland
He’s a beaut Mundy.
krafty
Wow…I am gobsmacked Mundy..this is a stunner yet again..look at the beautiful face and the texture of the fur..those claws have the Ouch factor.What a sad story to think they have to be captive and not left to roam as they did in days long gone.!!A brilliant piece of work and very informative Mundy…I love this one too..Awesome work my friend..BRAVO!!
Allison Lane
Amazing capture,his eyes are so expressive
ECGardner
How strikingly beautiful, both the photo and the prose. Those eyes tell such a story that you’ve written beautifully in your description. A definite work of art, all the way around.
Mundy Hackett replied
Thanks Erin!
Mundy Hackett replied
I can’t thank you often enough Erin!
Squealia
your images are the best, i think you tweek them a little bit in psp (?), but it just makes a fab image perfect… :o)
Mundy Hackett replied
Thank you Squealia, and yes by digitally accented I certainl do want to convey these are tweaked and filtered in photoshop. I would never conceal that nor the origin of my subjects. I made a point years ago when I first began taking wildlife images to always say where it was that I took the image and what it was if anythng I did to it in photoshop. Now I don’t comment on things like cropping, levels adjustment, contrast, but anytime the integrity of the image changes you absolutely MUST divulge this information as a nature or wildlife photographer. Ours is one of those niches like a photojournalist where ethical behavior is ALWAYS critical no matter someone may tell you. Even here at the mighty Bubble! Thank you again, you always visit my work and I really appreciate it. Have a great day.
naturelover
Beautiful Bear- going into my favs!!
WayoftheWarrior
Awesome close up of this powerful animal, looks peaceful now….but there is always that otherside in there waiting to come out. The Pack
Heather Rivet...
outstanding
velveteagle
You have done justice to our ignorance and awakened common sense…
eaglewatcher
The eyes say it all!!!! Still a great shot even considering the circumstances.
Squealia
I visit ‘coz your images are so good, maybe one day I can take great images too.. LOL
Walter Colvin
Wow! Great shot Mundy.
Sean Farragher
great shot
Mundy Hackett replied
thanks Sean
pat oubridge
Stunning animal Mundy
Deborah H. Benoit
This is fabulous!!!!
Mundy Hackett replied
Thank you so much Deb and Pat
lareejc
this poor guy looks so sad! you did a wonderful job in capturing this beautiful guy!
Mundy Hackett replied
Indeed, you feel it too don’t you
Gary L. Suddath
outstanding on image and discription and so true
Mundy Hackett replied
Cheers Buddy!
TomBaumker
Great close up Close and personal Tom
Mundy Hackett
Thank you Tom, really appreciate your visit
Lori Peters
Excellent, Mundy!!!!
Marcus Grant
Awsome shot Mundy
EdgeOfReality
An excellent and very expressive capture.
ajax
Beautiful but he’s so sad,you can see and feel it.
brian pendrey
beautiful animal but you feel for him he looks so fed up and sad
Mundy Hackett
Thank you Lori, Marcus, EOR, JAx and Brian!
coffee4me56
Wow, makes you feel like ti is right there and you can reach out and touch it. Beautiful shot!!
Mundy Hackett replied
Thank goodness for telephoto lenses and moats at zoos ;)
Devalyn Marshall
Wonderful shot, love the claws peeking through!!!
Christopher Bi...
very touching image
Jan Piller
Nice job on the processing Mundy – that bear could use a manicure! wow!
Marleia Main
Wow .. This is awesome!! Please add it to the “Bears of the world” group .. We would love to have show it off : )))))
Marleia Main
This is just gorgeous Mundy!! I fell in love as soon as I saw it : )
Skye Ryan-Evans
Mundy, this is just gorgeous!! Love it! ~ Skye