BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas — Hiking on a remote trail in Big Bend National Park on Dec. 7, KHOU photojournalist Nathan Kvinge came across this big fella (presumed male) in a wooded ravine along the Blue Creek Trail below the Chisos Mountains.
He heard what sounded like a bear foraging nearby, and was able to spot it across a ravine. The black bear, possibly the same that was seen by multiple visitors days earlier in Juniper Canyon miles away, stopped its activity for about 20 seconds while appearing to look back at Kvinge.
The bear then continued his foraging and Kvinge took that as his cue to quickly move on with his hike.
Back in 2012, Kvinge captured another black bear on video in the Chisos Mountains, although that bear looked quite scrawny in comparison to the bear seen Dec. 7.
Big Bend National Park wildlife biologist Thomas Athens says the bears are currently in a state of hyperphagia, in which they are vigorously consuming water and food to prepare for winter denning season, which is December to March in the park.
Although the Big Bend population is a fairly stable with 30-35 bears, as bears migrate in and out of the park, all this feeding activity leads to an increase of visitor sightings.
Big Bend National Park is among several areas in Texas where black bears are observed, mostly in West Texas.