About This BlogBears. Salmon. Volcanoes. Wilderness. Culture. These are the terranes of Katmai. Each is distinct, but in combination these features create a place like no other. Read about the uniqueness of Katmai in this blog. July in Review: #32 Chunk as Most Dominant Bear
August 15, 2017
The bear hierarchy at Brooks Falls is dynamic. As dominant bears age or weaken from injury or malnutrition, bigger, younger, more dominant bears take their place in positions of dominance. Ascent for these bears means a better chance at survival and a better chance to pass on their genes for the next generation of Brooks River bears. Bear Profile: 435 "Holly"
September 03, 2016
Mother bears are always on the clock. Learn how this summer has been for 435 "Holly," who emancipated her cubs this past spring. 2016 Bear Profile: 128 Grazer
August 20, 2016
128 “Grazer” is an excellent case study for how sows with cubs must adapt to a new set of circumstances — a need to balance the demands of their own survival, and the drive to protect their otherwise helpless cubs. The Changing Tides of Amalik Bay
August 19, 2016
At Amalik Bay, the changing tide dictates the way of life for all animals in the ecosystem. Backpacking in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes
June 02, 2016
Rangers make their first trip into the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Hey Lurch! What's Up with You?
July 02, 2015
So far in this summer, 814 Lurch looks and behaves differently than years past. So, what’s up with Lurch? Being Dominant
July 15, 2014
Dominant male bears along the Brooks River gain many advantages over other bears. They can access the most preferred fishing spots when they choose, easily appropriate food from other bears, and have a higher likelihood of courting female bears and siring offspring. Gaining access to food allows bears to grow larger. Growing larger gives bears a greater chance to become reproductively successful. Death of Bear 130
July 08, 2014
July 1 was a busy day at Brooks Camp. Late in the evening, while many rangers were still dealing with 402’s yearling cub in a tree at Brooks Lodge, another ranger discovered a dead bear near the cut bank on the Brooks River. Starvation Time
April 25, 2014
Spring is a season often associated with increasing abundance. However, if your name is Ursus arctos, the brown bear, then springtime may be the hardest season to survive. Little Monsters?
April 07, 2014
Prior to 2006, Katmai’s spruce forests appeared healthy. Under the dense canopy of needles, little light filtered through to the forest floor where mosses and shade tolerant shrubs held a dominant foothold. Reaching toward the sky were many spires of green-needled spruces that intercepted much of the incoming light. Today, however, even the casual observer walking through those same forests will find something amiss. Birth of a Brown Bear
January 22, 2014
Brown bear cubs are from 1/3 to 1/10 of that predicted for female mammals of comparable size. Why would brown bears give birth to such small and vulnerable offspring? Like many natural phenomenon, no one knows for sure but biologists have some ideas. |
Last updated: April 14, 2015