Wasabi's Release
Reflecting back on Season Two of Wild Bear Rescue there were a lot of incredibly heart-wrenching stories with moments of true sadness and joy; but for me, few moments had as much impact as Wasabi’s release, which aired in the 7th episode of Season 2. So I thought I’d share this image, and explain why this moment will stick with me for the rest of my life.
Wasabi arrived at Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter in desperate shape, just a week into filming our first season. I can vividly remember Conservation Officer – Flint Knibbs reach into the trap and pull her out by the scruff of her neck. She hung there lifeless in his grasp as Angelika led him into the hospital to assess her. Wasabi’s mom was dead, Her jaw was broken, and her hollow gaze was just a shimmer of the life we would soon discover.
After a couple weeks of vet visits and nurture from Angelika & Kim, the first signs of Wasabi’s “fighter” instinct were front and center as she bulldozed passed Angelika, out of her cage, and into the hospital room. Spinning in circles, her head trauma was still apparent but her fight was undeniable. When Wasabi was first introduced to the other bears at NLWS, she was much smaller than the rest. Fearful of the other bears, she tucked away inside her den, hiding in the shadows as other cubs walked passed. Each day Kim brought smoothies to the door of her den, and slowly but surely, her nose would creep out further and further from the darkness, each step bringing her closer to the other bears.
I was lucky enough to be there for all her firsts at Northern Lights… her first smoothie, her first steps following the accident, her first time climbing a tree, and first time falling. But the thing I will always remember about this bear is how she always got back up. When the more confident bears moved in to test her, I had to resist defending her from their boisterous aggression; but overtime they became less intimidating to Wasabi and soon enough she was standing her ground, growling over watermelons, defending her smoothie bowl, and wrestling with the best of them. She once took on “Nutmeg” – the schoolyard bully and all around goofball, after he made the foolish decision of picking a fight over some apples. Despite being almost twice her size, Nutmeg found himself flattened by a single swing of Wasabi’s paw.
Wasabi’s newfound confidence never faded, but her comfort around me would. She emerged from hibernation as a big beautiful yearling full of attitude, eye rolls, and sassy ‘cowboy’ walks. She no longer wanted anything to do with me, or the caretakers, and with that, she seemed ready for a second chance in the wild. Following a sedated close inspection of her weight, teeth, and jaw, Angelika fitted her with a bright yellow radio collar, and loaded her into a transport box aboard the pick-up truck.
As we drove north up a forestry road, I looked back through the rear windshield to see Wasabi trying to gain her bearings, as she poked her nose through the side of her transport box. After a couple hours of driving into the wilderness, Angelika found the perfect location to release her. Eager and ready, Kim stood on the tailgate and pulled open the transport box door unveiling Wasabi’s new home. She took a quick look over each shoulder and hopped down to the mossy ground below.
Her once hollow gaze was now replaced with eyes of youthful confidence and curiosity for the new world around her. Every step she took came with a sniff and a nibble. She slowly grazed and scent marked her way to the tree line, as I hovered around her like a parent taking their kid to school for the first time. We walked quite a ways together, until she came across a bed of horsetails below a fallen tree. I sat there with her, reflecting on all of her firsts at Northern Lights, but none compared to this moment. As she nibbled away on the forest foliage, I could clearly see the comfort she found being back home in the wild.
After a quick snack and rest, Wasabi began to walk away, and this time I just had to let her go. I will surely never forget, the image as she stood up and turned back to me; neither of us made a sound, but I think there was an acknowledgment of what each of us had experienced together. Before Season One of Wild Bear Rescue, I would have never guessed a bear could teach me so much about resiliency and determination, and have such an impact on my life. This was the last image I captured of Wasabi, and a moment I will surely never forget.
