Black Bear Quintuplets

Black Bear Quintuplets - Tom Sears photographer

Black bears typically have two cubs; rarely, one or three.

In 2007, in northern New Hampshire , a black bear Sow

gave birth to five healthy young.

There were two or three reports of sows

with as many as 4 cubs, but five was,

and is, very extraordinary.

I learned of them shortly after they emerged from their den

and set myself a goal of photographing

all five cubs with their mom -

no matter how much time and effort was involved.

I knew the trail they followed on a fairly regular basis,

usually shortly before dark.

After spending nearly four hours a day, seven days a week,

for more than six weeks, I had that once-in-a-lifetime

opportunity and photographed them.

I used the equivalent of a very fast film speed

on my digital camera.

The print is properly focused and well exposed,

with all six bears posing as if they were in a studio

for a family portrait.




I stayed in touch with other people who saw the bears

during the summer and into the fall hunting season.

All six bears continued to thrive.

As time for hibernation approached, I found still more folks who

had seen them, and everything remained OK.

I stayed away from the bears as I was concerned

that they might become habituated to me,

or to people in general, and treat them as

`approachable friends.

This could easily become dangerous

for both man and animal.

After Halloween, I received no further reports

and could only hope the bears survived until they hibernated.

This spring, just before the snow disappeared,

all six bears came out of their den and wandered

all over the same familiar territory

they trekked in the spring of 2007.

I saw them before mid-April and dreamed nightly

of taking another family portrait,

a highly improbable second once-in-a-lifetime photograph.

On 25 April 2008, I achieved my dream.



When something as magical as this happens

between man and animal, Native Americans say,

We have walked together in the shadow of a rainbow.

And so it is with humility and great pleasure

that I share these exhilarating photos with you.

Do pass them on!