As I mentioned this morning, the BearCam at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park in Alaska is a wonder to behold: it’s full of grizzly bears (also known as the North American brown bear) standing in the water—both above and below the falls—trying to grab salmon as the fish struggle over the falls to the mating area.
There are tussles for position among the bears, growling, and lots of failed attempts to catch salmon. (There are several BearCams, and the view changes from time to time.) Nevertheless, each bear gets up to 20 salmon per day, packing on the pounds for winter hibernation. You can vote for the bear that’s gotten the fattest over at the Fat Bear Contest site. Meanwhile, click on the live BearCam below to see the action. I’ve enclosed a screenshot, and just click on it to go to the BearCam.
Some day I must make it there; it’s on my bucket list.
The feed begins when it gets light in Alaska; at other times they show “highlights”:
I voted!
What a fun feed to watch.The fish sometimes jump right into the bears’ mouths! I watched for quite a while and saw bears playing, nursing, pooping, arguing…I wonder how the world appears to them with such close-set eyes?
I voted. But I always feel like an outlier. There I am – carefully reflecting on who was skinnier to start with, who has really packed it on, whether a cub has an inherent advantage over an adult bear or not.
And then the rest of the voting public just seems to vote for who is the FATTEST. That’s not the point!
You’re smarter than the average bear.
Heehee
What I find fascinating is how the excess fish they leave in the neighbouring woods, are an import part of the nutrient cycle…
BTW NOBELS next week!!! Get your bets in before Monday…