Jacquie Matechuk

Beneath the dense canopy of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a young silverback (second in command), watched in silence as fractured light cuts through the foliage to reveal his family resting nearby. His gaze carried the weight of guardianship, steady and deliberate, yet filled with the quiet curiosity of youth. In that moment, I was reminded that true power in the wild is not measured by dominance or display, but by presence—the still, unwavering awareness of one who protects more than he possesses. Beneath his calm exterior was a consciousness that seemed to bridge our worlds, a reminder that we are not separate observers of nature, but participants within it. ‘The Watchman’ stands as a reflection of that truth—a portrait of leadership born not of force, but of grace, guardianship, and the silent courage to thoughtfully bear witness.

In the mist-clad Andean mountains, a rare and endangered spectacled bear climbs an ancient fig tree, finding refuge from the rain beneath its lush canopy. He moves effortlessly, coming to rest against the tree’s core. All around him, spanish moss dances gently with the canyon breeze. A moment of wild perfection and a testament to his resilience and the untamed beauty of his world. Now, this moment is a mere memory as captivity has shifted his story from boundless freedom, to one of confinement. The vast wilderness and epic backdrops have vanished, replaced by the stark reality of a cage. I think back to this day, when I sat in the rain with him. When he paused thoughtfully as ‘He Looked to the Heavens’, and I think of all he’s lost. Of how we may never again see him living life wild and free, as nature intended.

“I’ll See You Through the Darkness” They are called ‘Ghosts of the Forest’, maneuvering with deafening silence. They twist and contort through fields of towering pines, breaking free at last to hunt. They remain elusive, artfully hiding in plain sight. This large frame veiled in perfect camouflage, erupts to life with a target detected. But this brief moment… this is ours and ours alone. I’ll see you through the darkness and always remember.

“Your Life is in Your Hands” Suspended on the edge of a towering slab of Utah sandstone, there is a test of strength that goes far beyond what you see. Beyond finger pulley tears and tendonitis, dislocated shoulders or severe abrasions. This athlete above all, must quiet the mental noise. With each breath, another choice. A moment of utter clarity required to move him forward, to keep him safe, and to achieve his goal. It is a race against time where your greatest enemy and only hope, is one in the same.

‘Connected’ In all her glory, Mother Nature paints this beautiful story of connectivity between us and this beautiful world we live in. Few animals have been as vital to the Pacific experience as salmon. From grizzly bears to orca whales, more than 130 different species depend on the marine-rich nutrients that these wild salmon provide. Here, we see the numbers are strong, their presence telling us this ecosystem is healthy. A Guardian glides slowly across the river and the surface erupts in a swarm of red sockeye and violent white water. They are only here to observe and protect, but we’re reminded how easily we affect the world around us.

‘The Tender Side’ Life of a bear in the wilderness is one locked in an endless struggle for survival. And a mother bear with a new cub, will work fiercely to keep her young one safe. But these bears are more than raw emotion. They are sentient beings with large personalities capable of compassion, humor, curiosity, devotion and even grief. And here, in moments like these, they are even tender. This connection builds trust between mom and cub will be the building block upon which this cub learns to communicate, socialize, survive and love.

As our world fell hostage to the restraints of a global pandemic, an unwanted solitude and feeling of abandonment engulfed our everyday lives. Here, a once bustling downtown city center sat vacant of all signs of life. I stood alone, surrounded by these towering structures and felt their longing to be remembered; to be embraced.

An enthusiastic tussle between a lone eaglet and a pair of ravens ensued at the base of a nearby tree. I moved slowly to capture a clean line of sight when this magnificent creature flew into my peripheral. The massive wingspan unfolded and he shifted into his chair to assume a watchful position. His mere presence forced rapid resolve and he resumed a methodical scanning of the kingdom laid out before him.