by Bindi Irwin
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including printing, photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Random House Australia. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Bindi Wildlife Adventures 15: Bears Beware!
ePub ISBN 9781742744186
A Random House book
Published by Random House Australia Pty Ltd
Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW 2060
www.randomhouse.com.au
First published by Random House Australia in 2011
Copyright © Australia Zoo 2011
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Random House Australia.
Addresses for companies within the Random House Group can be found at
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National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry
Author: Irwin, Bindi, 1998–
Title: Bears Beware!/ Bindi Irwin, Jess Black
ISBN: 978 1 86471 832 4 (pbk.)
Series: Irwin, Bindi, 1998– Bindi wildlife adventures; 15.
Target audience: For primary school age
Other authors/contributors: Black, Jess
Dewey number: A823.4
Cover photograph of bears © Getty Images
Cover photograph of Bindi © Australia Zoo
Cover design by Christabella Designs
CONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Imprint Page
Dear Diary
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Animal Fact File
Bindi Wildlife Adventures Series
Become a Wildlife Warrior!
‘It really does sparkle like a jewel!’ sighed Bindi, marvelling at the view from the passenger window as the small plane began its descent into Kodiak Island, Alaska. The island was nicknamed the Emerald Isle for its stunning shades of green: pristine forests, green rolling fields spotted with wildflowers, sparkling mountain streams and crystal clear lakes.
As the plane taxied into the terminal, Bindi could see her friend Katrina Anderson waving madly from the terminal window. The Anderson family had been friends of Bindi’s family for as long as she could remember. She didn’t get to see Katrina very often so Bindi was super excited about having an entire week with this adventure-loving family.
‘Calling Bindi Irwin!’ shouted Katrina as she saw Bindi appear through the glass doors.
Bindi laughed and dashed over to give her friend a giant hug. ‘It’s so amazing to be here.’
‘We’ve got heaps of fun stuff planned!’ Katrina raised her eyebrows in emphasis. She had long ginger hair tied back in a plait and her face was dotted with the cutest freckles. Katrina had a love of animals to match Bindi’s, and was particularly looking forward to showing Bindi the gorgeous Kodiak bear, which was a major drawcard for the island.
‘How are you, Bindi?’ asked Mia, Katrina’s mum, as she gave Bindi a warm hug. Bindi felt a pang of sadness that Terri and Robert weren’t with her. But they had stayed on in Oregon to catch up with family and this was her only chance to see Katrina. Mia and Katrina’s dad, Tony, ran an ecotour business on the island.
‘I’m great, Mia. Thanks so much for letting me visit,’ said Bindi.
‘Question is, where should we start?’ Tony asked with a twinkle in his eye. ‘If you’re not too tired from the journey, we have a trip on the harbour planned.’
‘Awesome!’ cried Bindi. She and Katrina linked arms as they made their way out of the airport and piled into the minibus the Andersons used for their tours. She might have been on the other side of the world but with friends like these, Bindi immediately felt right at home.
Hugged by the greenest of mountains on one side and the bluest of waters on the other, Kodiak’s beauty was breathtaking. From the boat Bindi had the perfect view; the little bays, harbour and the waterways were bustling with commercial fishermen, small ferries and even some yachts. Hopeful pelicans and other seabirds, looking for a seafood breakfast, followed the fishermen, watching eagerly as the men mended nets and baited crabpots.
‘This place is so full of life!’ cried Bindi.
Mia agreed. ‘I think you’ll find there are enough activities on the island to keep you and Katrina entertained, what with bear spotting and Russian forts to explore.’
‘Russian forts?’ asked Bindi. ‘Aren’t we in Alaska?’
Mia explained. ‘Russians colonised the Kodiak Island archipelago in the mid 1700s. Russian traders and merchants came to the area for valuable sea otter pelts. You’ll notice examples of Russian history and culture when we get to town.’
Katrina took over. ‘We’re known best for our bears, of course, but also for fishing and whale watching. But don’t forget the volcanoes and glacial valleys! Most tourists come to admire the flora and fauna.’
Bindi noted the emphasis on the word ‘most’. ‘What are the ones that aren’t admiring the wildlife doing?’
Tony joined in the conversation, looking grim. ‘Hunting.’
‘What kind of hunting?’ asked Bindi with a lump in her throat. She had a horrible feeling she wasn’t going to like the answer, no matter what it was.
Katrina put an arm around her friend. ‘It’s a long and sad list – bears, elk, goats, deer, birds …’
Tony clapped his hands together. ‘But the good news is we’re trying to stop hunting taking place on Kodiak Island and we do have considerable support in the local community.’
Katrina smiled proudly at her dad. ‘Go get ’em, Dad!’
It was then that Bindi felt a strange shaking and noticed the ripples on the water increase. She instinctively grabbed the railing of the boat and held on tight. ‘What was that?’ she asked nervously.
Tony looked casually about him. ‘I’d say that was a tremor.’
‘An earthquake tremor?’ cried Bindi.
Katrina laughed at Bindi’s nervousness. ‘Honestly, they happen all the time here. It’s nothing to worry about.’
Bindi tried to be reassured by her friend’s casual attitude, but she couldn’t help thinking Kodiak Island was proving a little more exciting than she wanted it to be!
As they made their way back to land, Bindi felt no more tremors and soon forgot all about her trepidation. There was too much to see and do. The girls were ravenous by the time they docked in the harbour. There was nothing like being at sea to work up an appetite.
‘I’m starving!’ exclaimed Bindi.
‘We have just the place to help you out with that,’ piped up Tony with a wink. They walked down the main cobbled street of town and turned into a side street. Bindi noticed a colourful sign further
down the street advertising Alaska’s best salmon burgers.
It didn’t take long for the four of them to find a table in the busy restaurant. The atmosphere was warm and the staff friendly. She was starting to get a sense of what an Anderson family ecotour would be like and she was loving it!
Bindi ordered a salmon burger and then took a look around the restaurant while they waited for their meal. It was built of large logs of wood and the walls were surrounded by old black-and-white framed photographs. Bindi realised that they documented a big earthquake in 1964, when most of Kodiak’s wharf and surrounding city buildings were destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami. Deciding she might concentrate on something less scary, she looked around at the other patrons in the restaurant.
Nearby, a large man and a teenage boy were tucking into burgers and a large plate of fries and onion rings. ‘Do you reckon we’ll be able to make a bearskin rug out of it, Dad?’ asked the teenage boy through a mouthful of food.
The man nodded. ‘What do you think we’re paying all this money for?’
‘I want a trophy from this kill,’ said the boy, biting enthusiastically into his burger.
‘You’ll get a trophy if you’re man enough to earn one,’ answered the boy’s father. ‘Anyway, this Hank says he has an eighty-five per cent success rate. He promises to go the distance to get big game.’
Bindi grimaced, and caught Katrina’s eye. Katrina had also been listening to the father–son exchange. They both took a seat back at one of the free tables.
‘Tell me they aren’t serious?’ Bindi whispered to her friend.
Katrina shook her head. ‘They’re going bear hunting. It’s horrible, but it’s also legal if you have enough money.’
Finally their waiter arrived with plates piled high with goodness. Bindi looked down at her lunch. Suddenly she didn’t have much of an appetite.
Bindi knew it was actually quite late as the clock beside her bed flashed ten o’clock at night, but even after an action-packed day, it was difficult to sleep when outside it was still broad daylight. It was something to experience firsthand that in summer, Alaska had more daylight hours because it was so close to the North Pole.
Bindi and Katrina had enjoyed an afternoon at the local museum, which was packed full of information about the local history and wildlife. Now Bindi understood why locals didn’t bat an eyelid when they talked about earth tremors. The area was prone to earthquakes and if you lived here you became used to it.
‘Hummmmmf!’ Bindi let out a long sigh. It felt as if tomorrow would never come. Bindi was itching to get out the next day and see a bear in the wild!
She looked over to see Katrina tossing on her bed on the other side of the room.
‘Are you awake?’ Bindi asked her friend.
Katrina rubbed her eyes. ‘That sigh was loud enough to wake my parents!’ She laughed and sat up. ‘Only joking. I can’t sleep either.’
Bindi grimaced. ‘I can’t stop thinking about that horrible family and their bear hunt.’
Katrina felt exactly the same way. ‘I just don’t understand. Bears are endangered all over the world, but here on Kodiak, the Kodiak bear population is actually healthy. So they allow bear hunting! How does that make sense?’
Bindi was so agitated that she leapt from her bed and began pacing the room. ‘They want to make a rug out of one!’
Katrina nodded and sighed. ‘My parents are petitioning to try to get hunting banned. And we think the hunters have retaliated by badmouthing us on tourism web-sites, which has hurt our business.’
‘That’s terrible!’ exclaimed Bindi. It made her even madder about the hunters. ‘Is there anything we can do?’
Katrina shook her head sadly and shrugged. ‘There is a certain amount of permits issued each year to hunt a Kodiak bear. It costs thousands of dollars, but it’s completely legal if you can afford it. And hunters like Hank Robbins are ruthless. They’ll do anything to get results.’
Bindi shuddered. ‘There has to be a way. That awful father and son should not be allowed to get their “trophy”. Ugh, I hate that word.’
Suddenly Katrina had an idea. She hesitated as she spoke. ‘There might be something we can do.’
Bindi was all ears.
Katrina looked anxiously at her friend. ‘But we could get into heaps of trouble.’
Bindi met her friend’s eyes. ‘Not as much trouble as the bear, though!’
Katrina made up her mind. ‘You’re right.’ She sprang out of bed to begin dressing. ‘We’ll need to make some preparations while Mum and Dad are asleep. Are you in?’
Bindi couldn’t get her clothes on quickly enough. ‘If it saves a bear’s life, you bet I’m in!’
The next morning Bindi and Katrina were washing up their breakfast dishes when Tony and Mia arrived downstairs in the kitchen.
‘You’re up early,’ commented Mia as she helped herself to a cup of coffee.
‘We … we wanted to get a head start on sightseeing. Bindi’s really excited about checking out the island,’ Katrina hastily explained. She blushed bright red and hid her face as she energetically dried a plate with a tea towel. It was obvious to Bindi that lying to her parents didn’t come easily to Katrina and she felt bad for her friend.
‘What did you have in mind?’ beamed Tony as he joined his wife at the table. ‘We could give you a lift.’
‘Oh no, it’s okay,’ broke in Katrina. ‘We’ll use the bikes.’
The girls nearly tripped over each other in their hurry to finish the dishes and get out of the kitchen.
‘See you, Tony, see you, Mia!’ Bindi gave them a wave and the two girls rushed out of the kitchen.
Bindi and Katrina were gathering their gear together out in the shed beside the house. The family owned a few bikes that they used for their ecotours so it was no problem for Bindi to find a bike and a helmet that fitted. During the night the two friends had filled two daypacks with food, water and various supplies, which they now slung over their backs.
‘Let’s hit the road,’ whispered Katrina with a furtive glance towards the house. ‘We want to catch the hunters as they head out or we won’t know where they’re going. Hank lives outside of town, so it’s a bit of a ride.’
The girls mounted their bikes and took off down the windy streets of Kodiak.
After about an hour of cycling Katrina pulled over to the side of the road and motioned for Bindi to do the same. She held a finger up to her lips for Bindi to keep quiet. They hid the bikes behind a pile of logs by the fence and crept down the dirt driveway. ‘Hank’s Bear Hunting – Trophy Guaranteed!!’ the sign at the front gate claimed. Next to the advertisement was a picture of a hunter standing over a dead bear. Bindi gave a shudder.
Just then a large four-wheel drive pulled into the driveway. The girls dashed to the side and hid behind an old wooden shed. The car came to a stop and out tumbled the teenage boy and his dad. They were dressed in khaki shirts, long khaki pants and thick leather boots.
‘Those folks are giving khaki a bad name!’ whispered Bindi to her friend, outraged.
The girls watched as a fit-and strong-looking man in his forties clambered out from the old farmhouse to greet the family.
‘That’s Hank!’ whispered Katrina.
Bindi sized up the hunter. He wore a shaggy beard and certainly looked the part of a man who’d spent plenty of time in the wild.
‘Ready to bag a live one?’ asked Hank in a loud voice, as he clapped the teenage boy on the back.
The boy nodded vigorously. ‘You bet!’ The men then headed inside the farmhouse.
‘We will need to follow them on foot. Hank’s property backs onto the national park,’ said Katrina.
Bindi knew how dangerous it was to head out into the bush alone to try and stop a group of bear hunters, but she could not stand back and let an innocent bear get killed. She nodded and gave Katrina the thumbs up.
Katrina and Bindi quickly hid behind a cluster of trees a short distance from the
farmhouse and waited anxiously for the group. Hank finally clattered down the front steps of the house, carrying various packs over his shoulder. In his right hand he held a large rifle.
Bindi sucked in her breath. The black shiny gun looked ominous. Then she saw a sight even more horrifying. Father and son followed Hank outside and they each held their own rifle. They looked as if they had handled guns all their lives; in particular, the boy seemed very at home with a firearm as he let out a loud ‘whoop’ with excitement as he raced down the steps.
‘It’s good to be pumped,’ said Hank, ‘but before we get going, a little about myself. I’m first and foremost a hunter; I’m not into dazzling you with fancy meals and cushy surroundings. It’s all about getting you your trophy.’
The father and son smiled. Hank pointed to a line of tin cans standing on a fence in the distance. ‘Give it your best shot.’ He nodded to the boy.
The boy’s face broke into a huge grin and he lost no time in positioning his rifle and taking aim.
‘KA-CHING!’
The bullet let out a loud ping as it rebounded off the metal can and sent it flying into the air.
‘Bullseye!’ cried the boy with a self-satisfied smirk.
Crouching low behind the trees, Bindi gave Katrina a determined stare. Katrina nodded. Bindi didn’t need to speak out loud for her to know what she was thinking. They were going to stop this hunt!
After gathering their gear together, the group headed off on foot. Hank’s property backed on to the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, where hunting was allowed to take place as long as you had a permit. Bindi and Katrina tailed the group, making sure to keep out of sight and well behind so they couldn’t be heard. It was easy to follow the men from a distance. They might be good shots but they were not natural walkers, nor were they fit as they puffed their way slowly through the foliage.