Photographs by Andy Rouse

In a remote Finnish forest nestled near the Russian border, wolves can be heard howling, wolverine prints dot the forest floor, and owls glide silently through the trees. But Andy Rouse is here in search of something else.

Each spring, Eurasian brown bears emerge from hibernation and head to this forest to eat as much as they can during hyperphagia. Cubs are rarely seen, so Andy sets out cautiously optimistic.

A mother bear appears with two four-month-old cubs, each with the characteristic ‘V’ on their chests, marking their youth. Under their mother’s watchful eye, the cubs play-fight, clamber up trees, and begin to learn the skills they’ll need to survive.

Yet life here isn’t without danger. Cubs are especially vulnerable to lone males, and encounters are inevitable. One day, a strange bear approaches, prompting the cubs to rush up a tree. Their mother leaps to their defence. After ten minutes of posturing, she lets out a deep growl that finally sends the intruder away.

Luckily for the cubs, their mother will protect them for around two years. But not all cubs are as lucky. Andy notices a young bear, still carrying the ‘V’ marking. He is alone and fending for himself. He spends most of his time hiding at the edge of clearings, nervously observing the bustle.

Over the course of the summer, his regular stand-offs with bigger bears earn him the nickname Little Warrior Bear. The fact that he’s alone at his age suggests he may have been orphaned. Despite having no family, he manages to beat the odds time and time again. He learns to wait for larger bears to eat first, then sneaks in for scraps. He’s learning fast, adapting to a world that’s come too soon.

As August nears and hunting season approaches, the bears vanish once more. The little family and the brave young bear have made it through the summer, and Andy, along with the rest of us, hopes to see them return stronger next year.