A healthy looking 2nd year(?) cub forages in a meadow near the roadside in Kananaskis country, Alberta, Canada.

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Kananaskis Country, Alberta.

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Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta.

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A 2nd year cub forages by the roadside.
Kananaskis Country, Alberta.

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I'm guessing this is a 2nd year grizzly. It was foraging with its sibling in a meadow near the highway. Their mom was nowhere to be seen but I don't believe they were mature enough to be on their own. This is one of the reasons why you should always remain at a safe distance while photographing cubs. Mom could make an appearance at any moment, and it would most likely be an unpleasant encounter. Most females will breed once every three to four years because it requires a few years to integrate their cubs into the world.

"Although a grizzly cub will cease suckling from the mother by about the age of five months, they will continue to stay with her for as long as three years. The cubs need her protection from predators such as other bears, cougars and wolves. The grizzly cub has the ability to climb trees with ease until it is about a year old. The mother provides the meals with her foraging and hunting skills.
Once the cubs are capable of fending for themselves, the mother will drive them away from her and look to breed again. By this time the young grizzly weighs between 350 to 700 lbs and is close to the weight of a full grown grizzly bear. A bear's weight is dependent on the abundance of food. As these bears grow in size and strength, their diet will expand as they start to possess the ability to kill larger prey.
One grizzly in captivity lived to be 47 years old. This is far from the norm for those in the wild. The typical grizzly bear lifespan is generally 15 to 20 years in the wild, with some making it to 25."

Seen near Kananaskis, Alberta.

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