The masking ability of Nature: temporary 'scars' left during grizzly bear denning

Photo: Fairly recent collapse of a grizzly bear den. It is not common for dens lack structural integrity several years after bears vacate during spring emergence.

​Unlike humans, the homes or dens grizzly bears construct, are only temporary. Snow, wind, rain often times will consume dens over the years, making them hardly noticeable to the naked eye; nature restores and repairs itself for those who live in it, and respect it. Nature mask’s the small and minor scars in which bears create and call their homes.
 
Rarely do bears use the same den twice, but typically they will den around the same general area. Females typically den in much closer proximity to their dens from previous years on average than their male counterparts, which sometimes den close or extremely far away from previous annual den locations (there is variability).

Photo: Looking at this area, you would never guess that a bear once denned here. However, nearly 26 years ago, this area is where a grizzly denned for the winter. Very little remains as sign other than several scraped trees.

Photo: Similarly, another area which yields very little evidence or sign that a bear once denned here. Nature has masked a once present scar created by the great bear; this site being 26 years old.

Photo: Unlike the previous den sites, the den in this area from nearly 27 years ago actually compromised the integrity of the root structure of this tree. Over time, this once present den site has collected natural debris.