Bear Watching

The black bear symbolizes traditional Innu culture and is fascinating to see in its natural habitat. Curious and cunning, black bears are considered one of the most intelligent mammals. Entreprises Essipit provides you a unique opportunity to safely watch the black bear deep in the forest.

Our experienced guide will take you to a secure shelter where you can watch black bears in action in their natural habitat. The guide will share surprising facts about its life as well as age-old Innu beliefs.

Stable and strong, the shelter will have you within metres of the black bears. Each of our guides is trained on how to keep his group safe.

The black bear, also called “Mashku,” is the animal that the Innu hold in highest regard. Our ancestors organized their life cycle around this strong, intelligent and cunning animal. For a young Innu, killing his first bear was a rite of passage into adult life.

Even today, many Innu stories, legends and rites venerate this sacred animal. The Essipit Innu community continues to pass down the traditional myths and actively contributes to the black bear’s survival on its land.

Black bears can be watched at the Lacs à Jimmy outfitter, located only eight kilometres from Tadoussac. Contact our Reservation and Information Centre to reserve your excursion. Once you have a reservation, be sure to be at the Lacs à Jimmy outfitter’s reception area at the time indicated by the security guard.