In a remarkable display of social behavior rarely seen in the wild, three young female brown bears have formed a stable friendship group in Russia’s remote Kamchatka Peninsula. The trio, unrelated by blood, are being closely monitored by scientists at the Kronotsky Nature Reserve on the shores of Kuril Lake, a vital salmon spawning ground renowned for its high density of bears.
The unusual alliance was first captured by a camera trap before park rangers began observing the bears regularly. Liana Varavskaya, a state inspector at the reserve, noted that in over a decade of observation, this is the first documented case of third-year bears from different families forming such a bond after recently gaining independence from their mothers.
The pack’s charismatic leader is a bear named Glasha, described by rangers as playful and the initiator of what they’ve dubbed the ‘gang.’ “After leaving her mother, Glasha seemed lonely and, thanks to her playful nature, managed to find friends,” Varavskaya remarked. Glasha is the daughter of a well-known local bear, Masha, who was a star of the documentary “The Bears of Kamchatka. The Beginning of Life.” For observation purposes, her two companions have been named Kuzya and Klava.
This behavior, while surprising, offers a window into the complex cognitive abilities of these predators. Vladimir Gordienko, a research scientist with the reserve, explains that bears are among the most intellectually developed land carnivores, capable of forming cause-and-effect relationships. “This level of development also affects their emotional sphere and relationships,” Gordienko stated, adding that bonds akin to friendship are possible, especially under comfortable conditions with an abundance of food, as is the case at Kuril Lake.
The group’s solidarity is evident in their daily activities. They are frequently seen playing together along the shore, fishing, and even attempting to deconstruct a pier. Observers have noted that if one bear falls behind, the other two will wait for her. In a striking display of altruism, the bear named Kuzya often shares her catch with Glasha and Klava. Intriguingly, other adult bears in the densely populated area have shown no aggression towards the young trio, allowing them to coexist peacefully and providing a unique opportunity for continued scientific study.