Wildlife photographer Joe Callanan returns to the library with a presentation on black bears that includes his wildlife photography featuring bears in their natural habitats.

About the presentation

We are lucky to have the iconic Black Bear in our New Hampshire woods. They are a beautiful and resourceful animal, truly living as ghosts of the forest. Have you ever noticed how most encounters are so brief? With time spent in the woods do you ever wonder how many bears watched you pass through their domain while they remain undetected?

Bears' lives are dominated by their quest for food. Their life history flows through feast and famine, continually hibernating as their food sources disappear, to emerge from the den having lost some 30% of their body weight. Then they spend the next 6 to 7 months trying to put the weight back on. That is a challenging life!

Bear society is complex and they communicate well amongst themselves but while they can read our behavior we fail to understand their behavior, usually out of fear. The antidote to fear is knowledge. We must learn that the bear typically fears us as much or more than we fear them. Understanding the ways bears communicate is the key to handling confrontations.

Bears are very smart and also quick learners and it is up to us and our behaviors to learn to allow them the space to thrive in our forests. There was a time in New Hampshire when we had all but eliminated the Black Bear population. Surely we can learn to honor their place in our habitat to the benefit of all. The New Hampshire forest is their home as well as ours!

Learn more about Joe Callanan's work at joesnow02.myportfolio.com.