The one that got away, Alaska, USA. Wildlife photograph by Sandy Nelson, finalist in the Shoot The Frame Wildlife photography award, August 2023

Finalist Wildlife · August 2023

The one that got away

I was sitting on the shore of Moraine Creek in Alaska, watching the brown bears fishing for the bright red salmon that had just started their spawning run. The darker bear caught a salmon, but the lighter bear decided it should be his, and started a fierce battle that lasted about five minutes. In the meantime, the fish fell from the dark bear's mouth and maybe lived to tell the tale!