For 10 years, a camera has been sitting silently inside an abandoned grizzly bear den near Yellowstone, bearing witness to the wildlife visitors that passed by.
Now, wildlife filmmaker Casey Anderson has shared what the camera captured, and the results were impressive.
Anderson, 49, is known for his work tracking wildlife throughout the American West. He placed the camera in the cave more than a decade ago. At the time, it was a spontaneous decision made during a backcountry expedition, and he’d hoped to catch a glimpse of grizzlies reusing the den.
“Not only had bears returned, but so had mountain lions, coyotes, and a surprising variety of smaller animals,” Anderson told Newsweek. “One mountain lion in particular kept returning again and again, almost obsessively.”
Pictures from the Instagram video where the camera was retrieved after 10 years in the cave.
Pictures from the Instagram video where the camera was retrieved after 10 years in the cave.
@grizzlyguy/Instagram
With 2.2 million acres, the Yellowstone National Park is home to a series of wildlife, including over 65 species of mammals, including gray wolves, grizzly bears, black bears, mountain lions and coyotes.
It is also home to birds including bald eagles, golden eagles and a number of species of owls, woodpeckers, warblers, and waterfowl.
In 2023, Yellowstone National Park welcomed approximately 4.5 million recreational visitors, the second-highest annual total in the park’s history, as people flocked to catch a glimpse of the wildlife and landscapes.
The camera ultimately fell victim to a bear’s curiosity, but by then it had chronicled a vivid tapestry of animal behaviors across the seasons.
Anderson’s footage is now featured on his new YouTube channel, Endless Venture, where he promises more glimpses into the unseen world of wilderness life.
Some examples of the animals that were picked up on the camera.
Some examples of the animals that were picked up on the camera.
@grizzlyguy/Instagram
“This kind of discovery is what drives me,” he said. “I’ve spent my life locating wild places and setting up cameras to quietly observe what unfolds when no one is around.”
He also shared a short clip of the discovery on Instagram where it has gained more than 512,000 views. People were amazed by the way the camera captured years of activity.
“So cool. Batteries lasted,” said thebowrack. In fact, Anderson uses a Reconyx Ultrafire camera trap, designed to capture 1080p HD video with audio and be completely weatherproof. The long lasting battery and SD card data storage means it is perfect for capturing long-term wildlife footage like this.
Others shared their amazement at the animals captured on the video. “That is beyond awesome,” said amymariewampler9.
While viewer karin.mesa said: “How COOL is this! a decade of being ‘a fly on the wall’ What a great nonintrusive idea!”