TRANSCRIPT

INTRODUCTION

FLASHBACK OF PREVIOUS EPISODE

Last time, we began exploring the Atchafalaya ["chaf-a-LIE-ya"] Basin in Louisiana, a primeval world of Cypress, Spanish moss, and wildlife.

Poling a traditional swamp boat, a "Pirogue" l"PEA row"], through the eerie heart of bayou country, we searched for the now rare southern Black Bear.

After weeks of searching, I finally spotted this legendary beast, the largest animal in the Deep South.

Because bears are famous for their elusive cunning, finding one was no easy task. Especially in this place of countless waterways, where it's easy to get lost, and where the soggy ground makes for slow going.

I also found a "bear tree", which likely Indicated a bear's territory. And I confirmed that bears will seek a favorite food, honey, at nearly any cost.

During the difficult search for this solitary creature, I learned that it is generally peaceful and loves to play and amuse itself. Let's learn more. Join me as I continue to observe the "SWAMP BEAR".

TRANSITION TO TITLE / DAWN

Morning is a special time in the swamp. In the dawn light, this timeless world seems unspoiled. It suggests what the earth might have felt like three hundred million years ago. A carpet of duckweed covers the shallow water.

I've spent half the morning searching for bear signs. Here's one of the well established trails that they create as they make their rounds.

The swamp also provides refuge for the Bobcat. This year has been unusually dry. It's only Spring, but the water in the basin is drying up early due to the drought.

Bear tracks. This is the front paw, about the size of my hand. A print of the rear paw would be more the size of my foot. The tracks are fresh.

COTTONMOUTH SNAKE

The Cottonmouth, or Water Moccasin, is compact, powerful and deadly. It's a familiar inhabitant of the southern swamps, and obviously should be avoided. But I'm always a little too curious. The name "Cottonmouth" obviously comes from the white inside of its jaws. This reptile preys on frogs, fishes, birds and other snakes. It frequently is found in pairs. But I see only this one.

The Cottonmouth is not a true aquatic snake, since it catches more of its food while lying in wait on shore, than while swimming. I leave it to continue the bear hunt.

BLACK BEAR SCRATCHING OFF WINTER FUR

Whether in mountain meadow or hardwood bottom land-all Black Bears love to scratch. The hair left behind provides me with another clue.

Because bears look like humans when they stand and eat some of the same foods we do, they didn't fit the Indians' standard ideas about animals. So Indians held the bear in high esteem. Most tribes had a bear clan, and the bear rose to a special place in their tribal life.

GREEN SNAKE

The animals of the swamp are more often sensed than seen. Leaves quiver, bushes rustle, the quiet bayou waters ripple. Many creatures are beautifully camouflaged, like this Green Snake. It's one of the swamp's fifteen non-poisonous species, and spends most of its day hunting insects.

Black Bears are fast runners, strong swimmers and good tree climbers. But what they excel at is scratching, especially in Spring, when they begin shedding their long winter coat.

Here's another clue; bear scats. These droppings look fairly fresh. Though bears are ninety percent vegetarian, there are fish bones in here. Likely a Catfish. Maybe I can find a pool where our bear's been feeding.

Black Bears have one of the lowest reproductive rates of any of our land mammals. When bear numbers drop, they don't bounce back.

This medium size male is likely middle aged. A female this size would be full grown and almost certainly have cubs with her. Mating every other Summer, they have two to three young in their winter den. In the Deep south, some especially males, don't den up at all.

BEAR FEEDING ON BLACKBERRIES

Bears have poor eyesight, but their hearing and smell are acute. The scent of Blackberries has drawn the bear to a favorite food. Also on the menu are grasses, nuts, seeds, roots and insects, especially ants.

Being only ten percent carnivorous, Black Bears are not great hunters, though some will take deer fawns. With human encroachment, these once sacred animals are now fond of garbage dumps. Though not too dignified, it testifies to their adaptability.

To the Indians, bears were essential. Hides were used for robes, moccasins, and shelter. Then there was bear gut for bow strings, claws for jewelry, meat for food and bear grease for everything from making face paint to protecting their skin against the cold. These days, bears are not nearly as important to human society, but the legends of bear courage and bear cunning live on.

MARTY ON ANOTHER BEAR TRAIL

Later in the afternoon, I find another bear trail, this one's very well established. Being so heavy, bears can quickly create trails.

The other bear trails proved to be dead ends. Maybe I'll have better luck with this one.

CATFISH STRANDED IN A SHALLOW POOL / BEAR HUNTING THEM

It's led to exactly what I hoped to find-a drying pool. This pool will be gone in a week or so. The Catfish are stranded.

And, in the meanwhile, the bear is going to take advantage of the situation.

Though they're dying, the Catfish won't be an effortless meal. Their fins have sharp spines.

So while this tasty dinner may seem to be there for the taking, our bear has a little to learn about Catfish. These fish are scavengers which normally stay on the bottom of muddy rivers.

BLUE CATFISH

The Blue Catfish, largest species in the Mississippi drainage, is also a creature of tales and fables, because of its secretive life habits, strange appearance, and often legendary size. At times, it can reach one hundred and fifty pounds! These small ones seem hard enough to catch.

Not only can their fins cut like a knife, but catfish have smooth skin. It's tough, and they're very slippery. In spite of all the stories of bears slapping fish out of the water with their paw, in real life they bite them.

BEAR FEEDING ON CATFISH

I'm happy to have found this pool. It's allowed me to watch the bear closely, rather than having to follow it through the swamp. All I need to do now is stay quiet and keep down wind.

TIME-LAPSE SUNSET / MOON RISE

With sunset, the whole character of the swamp changes. It's now all the more hushed, and haunting.

CLOSE-UP OF HOOTING OWL / ALLIGATOR / OPOSSUMS / SUNRISE

I spent the night in the pirogue and in the morning returned to the Catfish pool. A hungry Alligator had arrived during the night.

Before long our bear also returns, probably looking for an early breakfast.

BEAR SPOTS ALLIGATOR IN POND

The bear keeps a safe distance from the Alligator. It might look like a log, but it certainly doesn't smell like one. Though Swamp Bears are known to be very fond of Alligator eggs, they're not often known to attack adults.

Its huffing is a danger signal, indicating that the bear is worried or irritated.

Swimming bears have been known to be attacked by Alligators. An Alligator will try to drag the bear underwater to drown it. This one is not nearly that aggressive, but is ready to defend its newly found food supply.

Our bear is obviously frustrated. It almost seems to be thinking, "Yesterday, getting the fish was so easy. Why must it be so hard today?"

ALLIGATOR CLAIMS CATFISH POND

Some Alligators have been found with massive injuries, suggesting a tangle with a bear. But not this bear. At least not this time.

So the Alligator becomes king of the Catfish pool. Actually, this pool could someday become a gator hole, hollowed out by the thrashing of the alligator's powerful tail. Such a deepened pool is like a Beaver's pond, it becomes a source of food for snakes, Raccoons and Herons. And for Swamp Bears, when Alligators aren't around.

It's hard to leave this magical place. I've been caught up in the tapestry of silence and beauty.

MARTY LEAVING SWAMP

I know I'll never be able to free myself from the spell of the swamp, or from my love of bears.

The Black Bear was the symbol of courage, strength, good judgment, and long life to various Indian tribes of the South.

We don't depend on the bear as the Indians did, but perhaps its spirit has something to say to us about wilderness and about wild animals.

If so, and if we listen, we'll always have a living legend.

CONCLUSION

America's Southern swamps are places of delicate natural balance. Too much waters they drown. Too little water, they dry up. When wetlands disappear so does wildlife.

The same holds true for overflow bottom land forests. Swamp and bottom land forests were once vast and wild, protecting not only the Southern Black Bear we've just seen, but also two other predators, the Red Wolf (now extinct in the wild), and the Southern Cougar (down to a few dozen).

We can save the Black Bear from their fate by preserving our Southern swamps-rather than draining them and by maintaining the rich variety of our remaining bottom land forests rather than clearing them for pulpwood mono-cultures.

It's up to us to provide a future for a legendary phantom-the "SWAMP BEAR".

I'm Marty Stouffer. Until next time, enjoy our WILD AMERICA.