Bearing up: photographer stays up for five nights in a forest with mothers and cubs

By DUNCAN MACPHERSON

The Asbo twins: These two bear cubs were in a group of three families that photographer Jules Cox observed over five nights in a Finnish forest

These two bear cubs developed their strength by play-fighting each other in front of photographer Jules Cox.

Jules settled in a hide in the middle of a forest at 5pm and remained fixated on the wild brown bears until 7am the next morning.

He watched from just a few feet away as the cubs danced, fought and climbed trees in Taiga Forest in Finland.


High jinks: The two cubs continue their sparring in the upper branches of a pine tree

Jules, 40, from Bermondsey, southeast London, said: 'I was very lucky to have three mothers with very young cubs.

'The stars of the shoot are two first-year cubs, who delighted me with their antics. They didn't stand much more than a foot high.

'I nicknamed them 'the Asbo twins' as they were like a pair of teenage, happy-slapping, hoodies leaving a wave of destruction in their wake.

'They were a whirlwind of energy and seemed to spend all of their time play-fighting, climbing trees or digging up roots and vegetation. Their antics were hilarious.'


Claws encounter: One cub stays close to its mother as she remains alert to the sounds and smells of the forest

Jules added: 'The shots are all taken from small wooden hides deep in the forest.
'You have to enter each evening at 5pm and can't leave until the following morning at 7am.

'Many of my photos were taken in the early hours when the bear activity was at its peak.

'At the end of my five-day visit I worked out that I'd only managed five hours' sleep over the preceding nights in the hides because the bear activity was so fast and furious - not that I'm complaining.

'The brown bears of Finland have to be one of the best wildlife watching experiences in Europe.'


Spectator sport: A mother and two cubs watch the others at play


source: dailymail