Brown bear in fall Katmai National Park
Katmai National Park
A large male brown bear wades into Brooks River to fish salmon as fall color comes up on the surrounding riverbank. The Brooks River bears of Katmai feed on the annual sockeye salmon run, and by October many have shifted from the famous falls up onto the lower river and lake outlets where late salmon and carcasses are still available. Bears this size at this time of year are at their peak weight and getting close to denning.
Katmai's coastal brown bear population is one of the densest on the planet, made possible by the salmon runs and the relatively intact ecosystem around Naknek Lake. Even among that crowd, a mature male in full autumn coat is the kind of animal photographers travel a long way to see.
Brown bear, Brooks River, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Ursus arctos. Photo © copyright by Carl Donohue.
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