Bears of Brooks River - A Photographic Guide to the Lives of Katmai's Brown Bears

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Bears of Brooks River - A Photographic Guide to the Lives of Katmai's Brown Bears
Katmai National Park and Preserve   National Park Service
                                    U.S. Department of the Interior

Bears of Brooks River
A Photographic Guide to the Lives of Katmai’s Brown Bears
Bears of Brooks River - A Photographic Guide to the Lives of Katmai's Brown Bears
Contents
How to Use This Book:................................................................................................................................3

Chapter 1: Brooks Camp..............................................................................................................................4

Chapter 2: An Introduction to Brown Bears..............................................................................................7

Chapter 3: Adult Male Bears.....................................................................................................................12

Chapter 4: Adult Female Bears..................................................................................................................31

Chapter 5: Subadult Bears.........................................................................................................................46

Chapter 6: Cubs..........................................................................................................................................49

Chapter 7: Bears No Longer Seen at Brooks Camp..................................................................................50

Designed, written, and edited by Michael Fitz.
A special thanks goes to Aaron Camire, Katja Mocnik, Tammy Olson, Jeanne Roy, and Roy Wood.
Bears of Brooks River - A Photographic Guide to the Lives of Katmai's Brown Bears
How To Use This Book
This book is intended to present the basic life histories and           keep at least 50 yards (approximately 46 meters) away
identifying characteristics of some of the most frequently              from bears, and all bears should be treated as wild animals
seen bears along Brooks River within Katmai National                    at all times. During a close or surprise encounter, never
Park. It is not intended to be a complete checklist of bears            make decisions based on “knowing” a bear. The wildness
at Brooks River, but rather a representative sample.                    of these animals makes the Brooks Camp experience pos-
                                                                        sible, not only for ourselves but for future generations.
Individual bears are difficult to identify, especially the first
few times you see them. The information in this book is                 In this book the bears are arranged first by age classifica-
drawn from thousands of hours of data collection, which                 tion and sex (adult males, adult females, subadults, and
was then used to document long term patterns of bear use                cubs) and then numerically by the number biologists have
along the river.                                                        randomly assigned to them. Below is a sample page.

Many bears in this book have unofficial nicknames. Be-
ing able to identify or name a bear does not mean it has
stopped being a wild animal. At Brooks Camp people must

                                               Number and Nickname                                                       Age Classification and Sex

Early and Mid-Summer Photos:
Look for shed patterns, scars,                     Bear 410 Four-Ton                                                              Adult Female
and less body fat.

Late Summer and Fall Photos:
Compare these with mid-sum-
mer photos noting the differ-
ences in fur color and overall
                                                                                              July 2010                                                       Sept. 2010
size.

Photo Date

                                                                       July 2002                                    Sept. 2008                                Sept. 2009

In the ID Marks and Hints sec-                   ID Marks       #410 is a large adult female. Her coat is medium
                                                                brown with a grizzled appearance on her head
tion, read about a bear’s body                   and Hints      and neck.

shape, size, color, scars and                                   She has a recognizable dished-shaped face and
                                                                prominent muzzle. Her claws are dark, and she
wounds, shed patterns, ear                                      lacks distinctive scars.
shape, and claw color.

The Life History section pres-                   Life History   #410 is one of the largest females frequenting
                                                                the Brooks River and fishes almost anywhere.
                                                                                                                        She is arguably the most human habituated
                                                                                                                        bear to be found using the Brooks River, even
ents a bear’s estimated age                                     She has been observed fishing in Naknek Lake,           while caring for cubs.
                                                                the lower Brooks River, and both above and
(if known), behavioral traits,                                  below the falls.                                        #410 has been observed with people and heavy
                                                                                                                        equipment operating within 15 meters. She will
preferred fishing spots, fishing                                In 2007, she returned with two spring cubs,             sleep on the trail near the bridge and in front of
techniques, and other informa-                                  marking her third litter. She returned to the
                                                                Brooks River Area in 2008 with the same two
                                                                                                                        or underneath the wildlife viewing platforms,
                                                                                                                        even with many people standing directly above.
tion.                                                           cubs, then yearlings, but lost one in early July.       She may tree her cubs near the viewing plat-
                                                                                                                        forms while she fishes.

                                                 32

                                                                                                                                                                             3
Bears of Brooks River - A Photographic Guide to the Lives of Katmai's Brown Bears
Chapter 1: Brooks Camp

Sockeye salmon drive Katmai’s ecosystem. At Brooks Camp, bear activity is dependent on salmon.

Salmon and the Brooks River
The rivers, lakes, and streams of Bristol Bay host the clos-         progresses and gives way to fall, the salmon slowly weaken
ing acts of an epic migration, one of the largest on Earth.          and die.
Each summer tens of millions of sockeye salmon leave
the open waters of the North Pacific, driven to return to            The eggs they leave behind lay in the redd for about four
the exact spawning grounds in which they were hatched                months. After hatching, the tiny alevin remain in the gravel
years earlier. For several hundred thousand salmon the               until spring. When large enough, young salmon fry move
path leads up Brooks River, past one of the world’s highest          from the rivers to the lakes, where they live two years. In
concentrations of brown bears.                                       the next phase, salmon smolt migrate to the ocean.

Shortly after each summer solstice, sockeye salmon begin             The salmon feast in the North Pacific for two addi-
arriving at Brooks Camp. After leaving Bristol Bay, they             tional years. There they grow into the large, beautiful, but
swim up Naknek River, into Naknek Lake, and reach                    doomed fish who return in their fourth or fifth year to
Brooks River. This is the final stop for some fish; here they        produce the next generation of sockeyes.
will spawn and die. For others, the voyage is not quite over.
Their destination lies beyond Brooks River, in the small             Unintentionally, some fish become meals for the larg-
streams and creeks feeding into Lake Brooks.                         est carnivore in North America: the brown bear. Due to
As they approach their spawning grounds, sockeye salmon              Brooks Falls, the river is among the first places where mi-
reach sexual maturity. Their silver color disappears, re-            grating salmon become vulnerable; this makes the area an
placed by red-colored bodies and green heads. Male’s jaws            important food source for the lean bears of early summer.
become hooked, and both sexes develop teeth.                         Later, in the fall, the spawned-out salmon play an impor-
                                                                     tant role in the bears’ preparation for winter before they
Using their tails, female sockeye excavate nest sites in the         enter the den.
river bottom. When a male approaches, she releases eggs
over her nest site. The male fertilizes the eggs with milt,          How, where, and when bears fish along the river depends
and the female buries them in the gravel. Once spawning              on many factors such as the time of year, salmon density,
is completed, a female will defend her redd as long as she           locations of spawning activity, the age and relative position
can; males play no role beyond fertilizing eggs.                     of the bear within its social hierarchy, and its preferred fish-
                                                                     ing techniques.
Spawned salmon are on borrowed time. Their life purpose
complete, they will never return to the ocean. As summer
4
Bears of Brooks River - A Photographic Guide to the Lives of Katmai's Brown Bears
The Brooks River
Because it is one of the first streams in the region where   The time of year along with salmon densities and spawning
bright, energetic, and pre-spawned salmon are available to   activity dictate when, where, and how bears feed along the
bears, the Brooks River hosts one of the greatest seasonal   river.
concentrations of brown bears anywhere on earth.

The cut bank provides a fishing area for bears               In July, the riffles area below Brooks Falls is
that are less tolerant of people.                            fished most often by less dominant bears and
                                                             females with offspring.

Naknek Lake and                                                                                   Lake Brooks and
the river’s outlet        Brooks Camp                                                             the river’s start

                                                                                              Panorama of Brooks River

During late summer and fall, bears usually con-              Early in the salmon run, Brooks Falls creates a
centrate in the lower half of the Brooks River.              temporary barrier to migrating salmon. This
At this time, bears are primarily fishing for dead           results in a particularly successful fishing spot
and dying salmon.                                            for bears.

At left, just beyond the                                     Less dominant bears often          Downstream to
photo is the Fish Ladder.                                    wait for their opportunity         the Riffles and
                                                             to fish the most preferred         Naknek Lake
                                                             spots.
                  Lip       Jacuzzi        Far Pool

                                                                                                    View of Brooks Falls
                                                                                                 from the Falls Platform

                                                                                                                           5
Bears of Brooks River - A Photographic Guide to the Lives of Katmai's Brown Bears
Bear Safety at Brooks Camp
For many people, a trip to Brooks Camp is a once in-a-                  consume food and drinks (besides water) while outside,
lifetime experience. To protect that experience for future              except in designated picnic areas.
generations, the National Park Service requires all arriving
visitors to attend a 20 minute bear orientation. This “bear             By following these rules, we prevent bears from learning
school” teaches visitors how to behave in ways protecting               behaviors that will lead them into conflicts with humans.
both themselves and bears. The most important things                    Other things to consider while visiting Brooks Camp:
people should do include:
                                                                        • Bears have the right of way! If you encounter a bear, you
• Keeping an appropriate distance between themselves and                should give it the space it needs to continue fishing, walk-
bears. People must stay at least 50 yards (~46 meters) away             ing, or sleeping. At times, bears may block access to areas
from all bears in the Brooks Camp area.                                 such as the viewing platforms. Pack your patience and
                                                                        remember the bears’ freedom is what makes Brooks Camp
• Preventing bears from associating human gear with play                an exciting destination.
items. While at Brooks Camp, any items brought outdoors
must be within arm’s reach at all times.                                • Peak bear viewing seasons occur in July and September.
                                                                        Relatively few bears use the Brooks River area in June and
• Preventing bears from obtaining human food and gar-                   August. During these months, there may be days when no
bage. At Brooks Camp, people are not allowed to carry or                bears appear along the river.

The Brooks River connects the waters of Lake Brooks to Naknek Lake. The mouth of the river at Naknek Lake can change dramatically from year
to year, and no longer looks like the map suggests.

6
Bears of Brooks River - A Photographic Guide to the Lives of Katmai's Brown Bears
An Introduction to Brown Bears

                          Brown bears have access to coastal                                  Look for a prominent shoulder
                                   food sources like salmon                                     hump and dish-shaped face

      Fur color ranges from blonde to
  brown (middle) to dark brown (right)

ID Marks            When visually identifying brown bears, there are      Polar bears and black bears also lack the promi-
and Hints           several key things to look for. Brown bears usu-      nent shoulder hump found on brown bears. This
                    ally have a rounded and dish-shaped face, unlike      hump is a mass of muscle thought to be useful
                    the faces of black or polar bears that usually have   while the bear digs for roots and other food
                    a more “Roman” nose profile.                          sources.

                    The fur of brown bears range from blonde to           There are also distinct differences in the foot-
                    dark brown. As a general rule, their coats tend to    prints of brown, polar, and black bears. Consult
                    darken with age and the season.                       a good field guide for an explanation of this.

Life History        The only bears to regularly inhabit Katmai Na-        course of the spring, summer, and fall to sustain
                    tional Park and Preserve are brown bears.             them through their denning period.

                    Taxonomists currently consider brown bears            Hearing and vision is estimated to be equivalent
                    and grizzly bears to be the same species and          to humans, but a bear’s sense of smell, which is
                    the difference between the two is somewhat            many times better than a dog’s, sets them apart.
                    arbitrary. In North America, brown bears are          Bears use scent to communicate everything
                    distinguished by their access to coastal food         from dominance to their presence in an area to
                    sources such as runs of salmon, while grizzlies       receptivity to mating.
                    reside further inland.
                                                                          A wild brown bear’s average life span is 20 years,
                    Bears are eating machines, and their survival is      although bears over thirty years of age have been
                    dependent on attaining enough calories over the       documented.

                                                                                                                              7
Bears of Brooks River - A Photographic Guide to the Lives of Katmai's Brown Bears
How Many Bears Frequent Brooks River?
                                                                                                       Katmai National Park and Preserve                                                                                    National Park Service
                                                                                                       Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve                                                                             U.S. Department of the Interior
                                                                                                       Alagnak Wild River

                              During late June through July the annual cumulative total                                                             • Salmon runs have been generally strong throughout the

                                                                                                  Brooks River Bears Quick Facts
                              number of independent bears identified regularly using                                                                region during the past 20 years. In the Naknek River water-
                              Brooks River during 2004-2008   ` has ranged from 43 to 70.                                                           shed, which includes Brooks River, the Alaska Department
                              During September through early October, the annual cu-                                                                of Fish and Game has reported a 20 year average escape-
                              mulative total has ranged from 45 to 59. Typically, another         How many bears frequent Brooks River?             ment of 1.8 million fish (1989–2008). During this same
                              5 to 10 transient bears have also been documented in each                                                             period, weather conditions have been relatively mild. Bear
                              of the two monitoring periods During
                                                               annually.      There
                                                                       late June throughare
                                                                                          Julyseveral
                                                                                               the annual                                           survival
                                                                                                                                                       75
                                                                                                                                                             and productivity     may
                                                                                                                                                                   Brooks River: July   have
                                                                                                                                                                                      Bear     increased
                                                                                                                                                                                           Age-Sex          as a result.
                                                                                                                                                                                                   Composition
                                                               cumulative total number of independent                                                                 70
                              factors that may be related to the  increasing
                                                               bears               trend
                                                                     identified regularly   in Brooks
                                                                                          using  bear                                                                 65
                                                               River over the past five years has ranged                                                                        Subadults
                              numbers at Brooks, including: from 43 to 70. During September through                                                 • Brooks
                                                                                                                                                        60      River       isSingle
                                                                                                                                                                 Unclassified   one of the first streams in Katmai where
                                                                                                                                                                 Adult Females with Older Offspring
                                                             early October, the annual cumulative total
                                                             has ranged from 45 to 59. Typically,                                                   migrating
                                                                                                                                                        55       salmon         become
                                                                                                                                                                 Adult Females with Cubs
                                                                                                                                                                 Adult Females, Single          accessible to bears (and the
                                                                                                                                                                 Adult Males
                                                             another 5 to 10 transient bears have also                                                  50
                              • Over the past 20 years, increasing   management empha-                                                              caloric value     of bright
                                                                                                                                                                 Dependent  Offspring pre-spawned salmon is exception-

                                                                                                                                                    Number of Bears
                                                             been documented in each of the two                                                         45
ark and Preserve              sis has been placed on minimizing    bear-human
                                                             monitoring
                                                               National  periods
                                                                        Park          conflicts.
                                                                                 annually.
                                                                             Service                                                                ally40high). In contrast, spawning and spawned-out salmon
 l Monument and Preserve                                                                                U.S. Department of the Interior
r                             Over their lives, the experienceThere
                                                                of cubs     thatfactors
                                                                     are several   accompanied
                                                                                         that may be                                                are35available at several streams during fall. Differences in
                                                              related to the increasing trend in bear
                              their mothers to Brooks may consist      largely     of  relatively
                                                              numbers at Brooks, including:                                                         adult
                                                                                                                                                        30 male representation between July and fall may in part

                                                                                                                                                        25
                              benign contacts with people there.     Thus, we would expect                                                          reflect this seasonal distribution of resources.
 ks River Bears Quick Facts
                                                              ƒ Over the past 20 years, increasing                                                                    20
                              the number and proportion of adults        tolerant
                                                                  management          of people
                                                                                emphasis             to
                                                                                           has been placed
                                                                                                                                                                      15
                                                                  on minimizing bear-human conflicts.
                              increase.                           Over their lives, the experience of cubs                                                            10
                                                                        that accompanied their mothers to

many bears frequent Brooks River?
                                                                                                                  5
                                                                        Brooks may consist largely of relatively
                              Below: Trends in bear composition documented         at Brooks River through observational
                                                                        benign contacts with people there.        0
                                                                                                                         sampling methods. Bears included in these figures were
                              observed using the river during at leastThus,
                                                                         threeweseparate   sampling
                                                                                  would expect         sessions.
                                                                                                the number   and    1988 1989 1990 1991        2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
                                                                        proportion of adults tolerant of people                                    Year
  rough July the annual          75                                                                              75
                                                                        to increase.
                                               Brooks River: July Bear Age-Sex  Composition                                       Brooks River: Fall Bear Age-Sex Composition
umber of independent                            70                                                                                                                    70
gularly using Brooks                                                                               ƒ     Salmon runs have been generally strong
                                                65                                                       throughout the region during the past                        65
  five years has ranged                                     Subadults                                                                                                            Subadult
  ing September through                         60
                                                            Unclassified Single                          20 years. In the Naknek Drainage,                            60         Unclassified Single
                                                            Adult Females with Older Offspring                                                                                   Adult Female with Older Offspring
annual cumulative total                                     Adult Females with Cubs                      which includes Brooks River, the Alaska
                                                55                                                                                                                    55         Adult Female with Cubs
5 to 59. Typically,                                         Adult Females, Single                        Department of Fish and Game has                                         Adult Female, Single
                                                            Adult Males                                  reported a 20-year average escapement                        50         Adult Male
nsient bears have also                          50
                                                            Dependent Offspring                                                                                                  Dependent Offspring
                              Number of Bears

                                                                                                         of 1.8 million fish (1989–2008). During
                                                                                                                                                    Number of Bears

 in each of the two                             45                                                                                                                    45
s annually.                                                                                              this same period, weather conditions
                                                40                                                       have been relatively mild. Bear survival                     40
 actors that may be                             35                                                       and productivity may have increased as                       35
 asing trend in bear                                                                                     a result.
                                                30                                                                                                                    30
 , including:
                                                                                                   Brooks River is one of the first streams
                                                                                                   ƒ
                                                25                                                                                                                    25
                                                                                                   in Katmai where migrating salmon
0 years, increasing                             20                                                 become accessible to bears (and the                                20
mphasis has been placed                                                                            caloric value of bright pre-spawned
bear-human conflicts.                           15                                                                                                                    15
                                                                                                   salmon is exceptionally high). In
, the experience of cubs                        10                                                 contrast, spawning and spawned-out                                 10
 ed their mothers to                                                                               salmon are available at several streams
                                                5                                                                                                                      5
nsist largely of relatively                                                                        during fall. Differences in adult male
s with people there.                            0
                                                                                                   representation between July and fall
                                                                                                                                                                       0
d expect the number and                              1988   1989   1990    1991            2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008                                         1988 1989 1990 1991 1992                  2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
 dults tolerant of people                                                                      Yearmay in part reflect this seasonal                                                                                 Year
                                                75                                                 distribution of resources.                          Trends in bear composition documented at Brooks River through observational sampling
                                                                          Brooks River: Fall Bear Age-Sex Composition

                              Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: Seasonal Bear Use at Brooks
                                                70                                                                                                     methods. Bears included in these figures were observed using the river during at least
 ve been generally strong                                                                                                                              three separate sampling sessions.
  region during the past                        65
                                                             Subadult
  Naknek Drainage,                              60           Unclassified Single
  Brooks River, the Alaska    Rangers
                                 55
                                        and biologists are frequently   asked,
                                                              Brooks River        “Where
                                                                           Bears Quick
                                                             Adult Female with Cubs
                                                                                               are 5
                                                                                       Facts • Number
                                                             Adult Female with Older Offspring

 Fish and Game has                                           Adult Female, Single
 ear average escapement       the50bears?” The answer depends on the season, but finding
                                                             Adult Male
                                                             Dependent Offspring
 sh (1989–2008). During
                              Number of Bears

 d, weather conditions
                              the45answer is as simple as knowing where the bears are
                                 40
  vely mild. Bear survival    finding food.
 y may have increased as                        35

                                                30
  one of the first streams    In the
                                  25 spring, very few bears can be seen in the Brooks
 e migrating salmon
 ble to bears (and the        Camp20  area. With no high calorie food sources in the area,
  bright pre-spawned
  tionally high). In          like15adult salmon, bears are dispersed throughout the re-
ning and spawned-out              10
                              gion5 grazing on grass and sedge, hunting moose calves, and                                                           This view of Brooks Falls and the Falls platform was taken in May.
 lable at several streams
 ferences in adult male
                                                                                                                                                    Bears are not commonly seen at Brooks Falls in certain seasons.
 between July and fall
                              competing
                                   0        for mates.
                                                     1988 1989 1990 1991 1992                    2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
 ect this seasonal                                                                               Year                                               earlier than in the Brooks River. Consequently, few bears
resources.                       Trends in bear composition documented at Brooks River through observational sampling
                              In late June, salmon being to migrate into the Brooks River.
                                 methods. Bears included in these figures were observed using the river during at least                             are found at Brooks Camp during much of August. For the
                                 three separate sampling sessions.
                              That’s when bears begin to arrive en masse to fish for                                                                bears, salmon fishing is easier in other places.
 Quick Facts • Number 5
                              salmon at Brooks Falls. Bears are typically seen fishing at
                              Brooks Falls throughout July.                                                                                         Once the salmon begin to spawn and die in the Brooks
                                                                                                                                                    River, many bears will fish here in September and October.
                              In mid summer, bears will follow the migrating salmon to                                                              These patterns of use reflect the bears’ adaptability that
                              many streams and rivers in the area where the fish spawn                                                              helps them survive seasons of abundance and famine.

                              8
Bears of Brooks River - A Photographic Guide to the Lives of Katmai's Brown Bears
Do the same bears return to Brooks River
each year?
Yes. Typically many of the bears that
are observed each year are recognized
from previous study years.

For example, in 2008, 59 of the 70
independent bears identified regularly
using Brooks River during July were
bears recognized from previous years,
as were 35 of the 52 independent
bears identified regularly using the
river during fall. The majority of bears
not recognized during both July and
the fall were subadults. Recognizing
bears from year to year is difficult;
therefore, these figures should be
considered minimum estimates.

A number of bears are also typically
recognized each year between the July
and fall (late August into October) pe-    Bear #409, an adult female, in July (top) and   Bear #747, an adult male, in July (top) and
                                           September (bottom) 2011.                        September (bottom) 2012.
riods of bear use at Brooks. However,
it should be noted that recognizing        periods. Our minimum estimate of                Brooks River during June-July and fall
bears between these periods within a       independent bears that were seen                of 2005–2007 may provide additional
single year tends to be more difficult     at Brooks River during both July                insight regarding patterns of use by
than recognizing animals across years      and the fall of 2008 is 36. Analysis of         individual bears.
within the July or the fall bear use       DNA samples collected from bears at

Monitoring Bear Use of Brooks River
Observational sampling methods             produce balanced sampling by time               Photo records are maintained for as
are used to record data on bear and        of day and sample zone. Arrival and             many different individuals as possible.
human use of Brooks River, so that         departure times are recorded for each           The photo records are an important
the following parameters may be            individual bear seen during an obser-           aspect of recognizing individual bears
compared between seasons and               vation session, and counts of people            across seasons and years, particularly
among years: (1) bear numbers, (2)         and behavior of each bear in view are           when several biologists are involved in
bear activity rates by age-sex class and   recorded at 10 minute intervals. In             data collection.
individual, (3) age-sex and behavioral     addition, fish caught and time spent
class composition of bears seen, (4)       fishing is recorded for a subsample of
bear “arrival” dates, (5) bear fish        the bears seen.
capture rates, and (6) relative bear
and human use of observation zones         Records of identifying characteristics
below Brooks Falls.                        of individual bears are maintained,
                                           and each bear identified is assigned
The river from Brooks Falls down           a unique identification number. The
to the river mouth on Naknek Lake          age-sex class of each bear is also re-
is divided into several observation        corded. Age classification is a subjec-
zones for data collection. Sampling        tive determination, based primarily
is conducted from the public view-         on size and behavior (and often on
ing platforms at the Falls and near        the documented identification history
the floating bridge, as well as from       of the bear). Sex is determined by
a tree-stand in the cut bank area.         observation of urination, posture,              Biological Technician Katja Mocnik conducts a
Observation sessions are scheduled to      genitalia, or presence of offspring.            sampling session at Brooks River.
                                                                                                                                         9
Bears of Brooks River - A Photographic Guide to the Lives of Katmai's Brown Bears
Hibernation in Bears
One remarkable adaptation that has evolved in some mam-                  ing the previous summer and fall. Bears do not eat, drink,
mals is hibernation. Hibernation is a state of dormancy that             urinate, or defecate while in the den. Fat is metabolized
allows animals to avoid periods of famine. It takes many                 to produce water and food, but instead of defecating or
forms in mammals, but is particularly remarkable in bears.               urinating to eliminate waste, bears recycle it. Their kidneys
                                                                         shut down almost completely and urea, a major compo-
In the Katmai region, most bears go to their den and begin               nent of urine, is recycled into proteins that maintain a
hibernation in October and November. Hibernation in                      bear’s muscle mass and organ tissues. Without the ability to
bears is most likely triggered by a shortage of high calorie             recycle urea, ammonia would build up to toxic levels and
food as well as hormonal changes. After a summer and fall                poison the animal. Since they are living off of their stored
spent gorging on food, a bear’s physiology and metabolism                body fat, bears also have very high levels of cholesterol in
shifts in rather incredible ways to help them survive several            their blood. Remarkably, healthy bears emerge from hiber-
months without food or water.                                            nation in the spring without losing muscle mass and bone
                                                                         density, or suffering from hardening of the arteries.
When hibernating, a bear’s body temperature remains
above 88˚F (31°C), not much lower than their normal body                 Can the abilities of a hibernating bear help people in the
temperature of 100˚F (37.7°C). This is unlike other hiber-               future? Perhaps. If we can unlock the physiological secrets
nating mammals such as ground squirrels whose body                       of a hibernating bear, then we may be able to find new ways
temperature drops close to freezing. A bear’s heart and                  to treat kidney, heart, and bone diseases. We also might be
respiratory rates, however, drop dramatically. They average              able to more safely send humans on long distance space
only 1 breath per minute with a heart rate of 8-10 beats per             expeditions if we can find a way to hibernate like a bear.
minute in hibernation.
                                                                         In the depths of winter, when Katmai’s landscape is cov-
They still need to burn many calories per day while hiber-               ered in snow and ice and the wind is howling fiercely, bears
nating—sometimes more than 4000 calories per day. When                   are nestled snug in their dens and sleep soundly. They feel
they emerge from their dens in the spring, bears have lost               no thirst or hunger at this time. Bears are survivors with a
up to 33% of their body weight. Lactating females can lose               very special adaptation—hibernation—that allows them to
even more weight.                                                        survive harsh wintertime conditions and famine remark-
                                                                         ably well.
Surviving a winter without food or water requires fuel, and
a bear fuels its body on the fat reserves it acquired dur-
In Katmai, bear dens tend to be concentrated on well drained, steep slopes that collect a lot of snow. This den on Dumpling Mountain was exca-
vated 6 feet (1.82 meters) into the mountain side. The hiking poles to the left of the bear den are 3.94 feet (120 cm) long.

10
Death of a Bear
Wild bears are subjected to many risks during their lives.                in the spring, six died in the summer, and four died in the
Starvation, spring time avalanches, illness, injury, and                  fall. During that same study period, one adult male and
predation are just some of the reasons that bears may die.                subadult male were found dead and both appeared to have
Outside the boundaries of Katmai National Park, bears                     been killed by other bears.
can be hunted for sport and subsistence, and humans are
significant cause of mortality for bears in many areas of the             While brown bears can live more than 30 years, they com-
world. In contrast, Katmai National Park is one of the few                monly live 20 years or less. Most bears, however, live short
places where the population of brown bears is naturally                   lives. While Katmai may have some of the highest densities
regulated.                                                                of bears in the world, it also has one of the highest mortal-
                                                                          ity rates for cubs. Two out of three cubs may not survive
Dead bears are rarely found in the wild. Even in Katmai, a                their first year.
place with some of the highest densities of bears anywhere
in the world, rangers and biologists rarely see a bear die or             From 1989-1996, 99 cubs from 48 litters were tracked via
find dead bears. Still, the information gathered by biologists            different radiocollared females. 61 of those cubs were lost,
in the past that can help us glean some knowledge about                   including 11 mothers, indicating that the survival rate of
the end of a bear’s life.                                                 females with cubs is lower than single females. This is a
                                                                          very low (0.342) survival rate for cubs, one of the lowest
Around the Brooks River, bears have been seen killing                     ever measured in North America.
other bears, like subadults and cubs, on rare occasions and
in 2008 one bear was observed dying in the Brooks River                   Katmai’s bears live in an unforgiving world, and it can be
(see bear #219 on page 54).                                               hard to watch an adult bear or cub die. As wild animals,
                                                                          they receive no veterinary care or preventative medicine.
One study on the Pacific coast of Katmai recorded 17                      Bears have evolved to bear tough and resourceful animals,
natural mortalities of female bears from 1989-1996. Eight                 but their lives do come to an end, sometimes peacefully
of those 17 adult females were killed by other bears. One                 and sometimes painfully.
female apparently died of starvation and one died after
being caught in a spring time avalanche. Six females died
This dead bear was found on the slopes of Mount Katolinat. In Katmai, one of the main natural causes of bear mortality is other bears. This bear
was apparently fed upon by other bears, but the true cause of its death remains unknown.

                                                                                                                                             11
Adult Males

                               #219 in July 2007. Note                                                         #218 in
                                  the numerous scars.                                                       Sept. 2012

                    #868 in July                                #856 in July                                   #489 in
                          2011                                        2012                                  Sept. 2012

ID Marks       The largest bears frequenting the Brooks River         of adult bears by watching them urinate. Male
and Hints      are adult males, also called boars. Like full          bears will urinate straight down between their
               grown adult females, their bodies appear filled        hind legs.
               in, their heads appear smaller in proportion to
               their bodies, and their ears are generally wide-       When male bears are shedding in the early sum-
               set.                                                   mer, numerous scars are often visible.

               Looking for genitalia is the easiest way to identify
               male bears, but you can also determine the sex

Life History   Due to their large size and strength, no other         these animals from entering into violent battles.
               class of brown bear is able to compete physically      Wounds, and their associated scars, are often
               with a large adult male.                               received during fights with other males. These
                                                                      fights can be the result of competition for food
               They can stand 3-5 feet (.9-1.5 m) at the shoul-       resources (access or appropriation) or for the
               der and measure 7-10 (2.1-3 m) feet in length.         opportunity to mate with females.
               Most adult males typically weigh 600-900
               pounds (272-408 kg) in mid-summer. By Octo-
               ber and November, large adult males can weigh
               well over 1000 pounds (454 kg).

               The best fishing spots at Brooks Falls are domi-
               nated by adult males. Hierarchy and displays of
               dominance play important roles in preventing

12
Bear 32                          Chunk                                         Adult Male

                                             July 2012                                Sept. 2013

                      July 2007                                     July 2010         Sept. 2011

ID Marks       #32 is young, medium sized male. His coat is
and Hints      medium brown and he has darker spots around
               his neck and shoulder. A scar above his right eye,
               as well as his large hindquarters, are distinctive
               features.

Life History   #32 was first identified as a sub-adult in 2007,
               and has since reached adulthood. He remains
               subordinate to most other adult bears, and is
               often begging or scavenging fish scraps. When
               fishing, he often stands up to get a better view.

               He fishes at the falls and the lower river. He was
               one of the few bears in the Brooks Camp area
               during June 2012 and June 2013. During this
               time he appeared to be courting females, like
               #130, in the area.

                                                                                              13
Bear 45                  Tatonka                                                Adult Male

                                             July 2012                                  July 2012

                      July 2008                                      July 2010          July 2010

ID Marks       #45 is an adult male with a medium brown coat.
and Hints      He is most recognizable by his sloping body
               shape, which gives him the appearance of having
               shorter hind legs than most bears. He also has
               a distinct face, characterized by closely spaced
               eyes and a short, upturned muzzle.

Life History   First observed as an adult in 2007, #45 is a regu-
               lar visitor to Brooks Falls during July, but he has
               never been seen in the fall.

               He is usually seen moving back and forth be-
               tween the falls and the riffles, and his behavior
               suggests that he is intolerant of bear viewers and
               anglers.

14
Bear 51                  Diver Junior                                           Adult Male

                                             July 2012                                 Sept. 2012

                      July 2007                                      July 2008         Sept. 2011

ID Marks       #51 is an adult male with large, oval ears and a
and Hints      blonde coat. He has a long muzzle that tapers
               nearly into his forehead. In 2011, he received a
               deep wound to his left hip that may be visible as
               a scar during shedding.

Life History   Although #51 is nicknamed Diver Junior, there
               is no known relation between this bear and the
               famous Diver, who was last seen in 2000. #51
               is one of the few bears who dive completely
               underwater when fishing. He was first classified
               as a subadult bear in 2007.

               #51 can be seen walking below the Falls Plat-
               form to and from the fish ladder. He commonly
               fishes the far pool on the north side of the falls.

                                                                                               15
Bear 83                   Wayne Brother                                                Adult Male

                                             July 2013                                                        Oct. 2011

                      June 2008                                       July 2010                               July 2011

ID Marks       #83 has a medium-large body with a light brown
and Hints      coat and dark eye rings. He lacks prominent
               scars but has some on his head and neck. In July
               a round whitish scar may be visible on the left
               side of his face.

Life History   #83 is a young male first classified as an adult in       In 2012 he arrived at Brooks Camp with a large,
               2008. This is another adult bear that matured             round wound to his right shoulder. This wound
               along the Brooks River. He is the offspring of            was deep enough to expose the muscle under-
               #438 and the sibling of #868.                             neath. It should result in a distinct scar.

               Even though #83 and #868 undoubtedly shared
               many of the same learning experiences as cubs,
               they differ in their fishing styles. In July, he can
               be seen fishing below Brooks Falls in the jacuzzi
               and the far pool. In contrast, his sibling #868 is
               often seen fishing the lip. In the fall, #83 fishes
               the cut bank and lower river like most bears. In
               July 2013, #83 was also a more dominant bear at
               the falls than his sibling.

16
Bear 89                  Backpack                                                    Adult Male

                                            July 2012                                                       Sept. 2012

                                                        #89 as a yearling cub
                     June 2009                                 in Sept. 2007.                               Sept. 2010

ID Marks       #89 is a medium sized young adult bear. He has
and Hints      a distinctive face with dark, round eye-rings and
               a straight muzzle. His coat is usually very blonde,
               but it does darken in the fall.

Life History   As a cub, #89 was very recognizable and as a           at Brooks Falls near much larger bears that toler-
               result he is one of the few bears whose mother is      ated his presence.
               known. Born in 2006, he is the offspring of #435
               and was first observed as an independent bear          As a yearling cub in 2007, his right front leg
               in 2008.                                               was obviously injured and he limped notice-
                                                                      ably throughout the summer. Remarkably, by
               He seems tolerant of other bears, even at Brooks       the early fall, his leg appeared to be healed. The
               Falls. He will fish at Brooks Falls in July, but is    injury was not noticeable in 2008, which was
               usually displaced by larger, more mature males.        his first summer as an independent bear. This is
               #89 will scavenge fish from older bears.               another example of the resilient nature of bears
                                                                      and their ability to persevere through significant
               However, he has grown significantly since 2008         injuries.
               and likely will grow much more as he continues
               to mature. In July 2013, he would regularly fish

                                                                                                                     17
Bear 92                  Enigma                                                       Adult Male

                                             July 2012                                                        July 2012

                      July 2008                                     July 2011                                 July 2011

ID Marks       #92 is a medium large, long bodied male who
and Hints      has a uniform light brown coat, tan claws, dark
               eye rings, and a slight lip droop. His ears are
               blonde and triangular.

Life History   #92 was first classified as an adult male in 2008.      When people are present at Brooks Falls, he
               He is not habituated to the presence of people,         rarely approaches the platform side of the river.
               and visitors should not expect to see him very          It is important to give bears like #92 the oppor-
               often. He will fish at Brooks Falls but is rarely       tunity to feed in the absence of people. This is
               present when people are on the Falls Platform.          the primary reason for the seasonal, nighttime
               He also appears to avoid other bears, but has           closure of the Falls Platform and boardwalk.
               been observed stealing fish.
                                                                       He not been observed in the fall.
               Many bears using Brooks River show some level
               of habituation towards humans, but some like
               #92 do not. This bear has been observed react-
               ing to loud noises or sudden movements from
               people on the Falls Platform.

18
Bear 218 Ugly                                                                         Adult Male

                                            July 2012                                                         Sept. 2012

                      July 2002                                    July 2011                                  Sept. 2009

ID Marks       #218 is a medium large bear with a dark blonde          In late September 2010, he had a large wound
and Hints      coat that is lighter towards his head. When             on his left rear leg. In 2011 he had a large, round
               shedding, his coat will be patchy with dark, bare       scar in this area.
               spots. He has blonde, wide-set ears.

               His dark eyes contrast with his coat and #218
               has a short blocky nose. He lacks distinctive
               scars, but can have numerous small ones. His
               claws are dark.

Life History   #218 uses some of the most efficient fishing            He is responsible for the 2007 scar on #489’s left
               techniques at Brooks Falls. He has been ob-             hip.
               served fishing successfully almost anywhere, but
               seems to prefer fishing the lip and in the jacuzzi.     This bear seems to be in the prime of his life.
                                                                       In 2009 he arrived at Brooks Falls with numer-
               After catching many fish, he will often eat only        ous, small wounds presumably received while
               the fattiest, most calorie rich parts of the fish       fighting other bears. Few other bears can now
               (brains, roe, skin) and leave the carcass for           displace him from his preferred fishing spots.
               scavenging bears and other animals. When first
               described as a young adult male in 2001, he
               fished anywhere he could fit in, but was eas-
               ily displaced by larger bears. More recently he
               has become one of the more dominant bears at
               Brooks Falls.

                                                                                                                       19
Bear 274 Overflow                                                                    Adult Male

                                            July 2012                                                       Sept. 2012

                      July 2011                                     July 2011                               Sept. 2012

ID Marks       #274 is a young adult male. He is large for his
and Hints      age, and has long legs. His coat is blonde but
               quickly sheds out, leaving a dark brown color in
               its place expect for a golden crown along the top
               of his head and ears.

               He is believed to be the offspring of #438.

Life History   Classified as a 4.5 year old subadult in 2011,          picked it up, and ran quickly down river before
               #274 appears more confident around larger               the dominant boar turned around.
               adults than other bears his age, often approach-
               ing them much closer than other young bears
               would dare.

               He has attempted to fish the lip, fish ladder, and
               jacuzzi, but appears to be too inexperienced to
               have much success. He has had more success
               fishing at the riffles and by scavenging scraps
               from other bears. In one notable moment, he
               managed to steal a fish from #856 when that
               bear confronted another male. Seeing that #856
               had left his fish unattended, #274 swooped in,

20
Bear 469                                                                             Adult Male

                                             July 2013                                                       Sept. 2012

                      July 2013                                 Sept. 2006                                   Sept. 2010

ID Marks       469 is a medium-large male bear. His claws are
and Hints      dark and he has short, round, ears. His muzzle is
               blocky and straight.

               #469’s coat is brown. His most distinctive fea-
               ture is a blonde, diamond shaped patch of fur on
               his left shoulder.

Life History   #469 was first observed in 2001 and was classi-        It is unknown why this bear changed his habits.
               fied as an adult bear at that time. From 2001-         When #469 arrived in 2013, he was limping and
               2011 he was an irregular user of the Brooks            would not place any weight on his left hind leg.
               River and only in the fall. When he was seen in        This injury may have reduced his ability to find
               the fall, he would fish the lower Brooks River         food elsewhere, or he may have just discovered
               and in Naknek Lake, but he was usually only            the fishing opportunities at Brooks Falls in July.
               seen in the morning and would leave the area
               when human activity increased. This indicates          Whatever the reason, #469 modified his be-
               that #469 is not tolerant of people.                   havior to fish at Brooks Falls. Bears, even older
                                                                      bears, are able to shift their habits and behaviors
               In 2013, this pattern was broken and he was seen       when it is necessary for survival.
               fishing regularly at Brooks Falls for the first time
               in July, even when large numbers of people were        This bear was also seen guarding a bear carcass
               watching from the Falls Platform.                      in October 2012. It is unknown whether or not
                                                                      #469 killed the other bear.
                                                                                                                      21
Bear 480 Otis                                                                         Adult Male

                                             July 2013                                                       Sept. 2013

                      July 2006                                     Oct. 2002                                Sept. 2009

ID Marks       #480 has a dark blonde coat, tan tipped claws,
and Hints      and some scars on both sides of his neck. His
               ears are wide set and his right ear is floppy. His
               muzzle is long, straight, and narrow. In 2013 he
               had a prominent scar above his right eye.

               In the fall months, his body is walrus-shaped and
               he has a relatively thick, wrinkled neck.

Life History   #480 was first classified as an older subadult          Despite the fact that #480 is neither as large nor
               bear in 2001. He, along with #218, uses some of         aggressive as other male bears, he was rarely
               the most efficient fishing techniques at the falls.     displaced from his preferred fishing spot in the
               He prefers the jacuzzi, but unlike many other           jacuzzi. However in recent years, other mature
               bears, he is often tolerant of numerous other           males have surpassed him in size. As a result,
               bears around him while he eats. These bears wait        #480 has slipped down the bear hierarchy. Bears
               patiently for him to finish and eat any leftover        like #747 and #856 will now regularly displace
               scraps.                                                 him from his preferred fishing spots.

               In recent years he is one of the few bears that
               can successfully fish at Brooks Falls in Septem-
               ber. Late in the season, he is often seen fishing
               the far pool.

22
Bear 489 Ted                                                                         Adult Male

                                            July 2013                                                       Sept. 2012

                     Sept. 2002                                    Aug. 2007                                Oct. 2007

ID Marks       #489 is easily recognizable because of his large,      His ears are large, upright and triangle shaped.
and Hints      distinctive scar on his left hip.                      His nickname, Ted, is short for “triangle-eared.”

               This is a medium-large bear. His coat is light
               brown and often patchy when shedding, but is
               darker in September. He has a slightly drooping
               lower lip, dark eye rings, and dark claws.

Life History   Bear #489 was classified as a subadult when first      entered Brooks Camp, something most adult
               identified in 2001 and has grown into a mature         males do not do regularly.
               adult since then.
                                                                      #489 often begs fish from other bears, some-
               In 2007, he received a wound on his left hip           times very vocally. He is one of the few adult
               during a brief altercation with #218. While the        bears to show this behavior. Other bears will not
               wound he received looked vicious, it has since         give #489 fish, but this technique does put him in
               healed and scarred over, and is this bear’s most       a good position to access discarded fish remains.
               identifiable mark. This is yet another example of
               a bear’s remarkable ability to heal.

               Through 2008-2013 he was one of the very few
               bears regularly seen fishing the river in mid-
               August. During these periods he has repeatedly

                                                                                                                    23
Bear 634 Popeye                                                              Adult Male

                                           July 2011                                Sept. 2010

                      July 2003                                   July 2007         Sept. 2006

ID Marks       This bear has a medium-large body with large
and Hints      (furry) and dark forearms. His coat is brown,
               grizzled, and generally uniform with blondish
               ears.

               #634’s muzzle is short and upturned. He lacks
               distinctive scars.

Life History   Bear #634 was classified as a subadult in 2002
               and then as an adult in 2003. In May of 2004 he
               appeared on the beach at Brooks Camp with
               a severe limp. He would not place any weight
               on the injured leg. Now, however, no apparent
               injury can be seen.

               He fishes the far pool and the lip of the falls.
               #634 will aggressively steal fish from smaller
               bears, especially early in the salmon run. He
               occasionally wanders through the lower Brooks
               River area, including through camp. This is one
               bear that may be seen near Brooks Camp in May
               and early June.

24
Bear 747                                                                                Adult Male

                                             July 2013                                                          Sept. 2013

                      July 2010                                      July 2004                                  Sept. 2012

ID Marks       #747 is a large adult male with a medium brown           a short muzzle, and a large, stocky, and squat
and Hints      coat with reddish shoulders. Early in the sum-           body.
               mer, his fur regularly sheds out in a erratic
               pattern and he often has a noticeable shed patch
               on his forehead. During the fall months, his fur
               is dark brown.

               His ears are round and peg-like, and his face
               has prominent brow ridge. He has dark claws,

Life History   First classified as a subadult in 2004, #747 is          Since 2007, he has noticeably grown in size and
               now considered an adult bear. He is successful           as a result is not easily displaced from his favorite
               at fishing and is a regular visitor to Brooks Falls      fishing spots below Brooks Falls. He is now one
               in July. He also fishes the falls in September and       of the most dominant and largest bears fishing
               October.                                                 on the river.

               #747 does not appear to be wary of people on             He was badly clawed during several fights in
               the viewing platforms near Brooks Falls, and in          2012. The resulting wounds may result in scars.
               2013 was occasionally seen near the mouth of
               the Brooks River. In years past, he was rarely
               seen in areas with high numbers of people. #747
               also seems to be very tolerant of other bears, like
               #16 and #489.

                                                                                                                         25
Bear 755 Scare D. Bear                                                                 Adult Male

                                              July 2013                                                       Sept. 2011

                       July 2004                                     July 2007                                Sept. 2006

ID Marks       #755 is a medium sized adult male with a golden
and Hints      brown coat, darker head, and a tapering muzzle.
               His dark eye rings can be a distinctive feature
               early in the summer.

               In the fall, his coat is a uniform brown with con-
               trasting, light colored ears.

Life History   #755 was classified as a subadult when first ob-         he does approach the falls platform, he moves
               served in 2004. Even though he fishes at Brooks          quickly behind it, never in front. Sometimes,
               Falls regularly, he has never shown much toler-          however, he will fish the lip of the falls when
               ance towards humans or other bears.                      only one or two people are on the platform.

               He seems to be wary of humans and usually                In recent years, he seemed less willing to yield
               will not approach the platform side of the river         space to other adult bears. This may indicate that
               when people are present. He has been observed            he is becoming more habituated towards other
               running away from the riffles area when people           bears and/or more dominant as he matures.
               approach.

               #755 will fish at the falls during daylight hours
               when the platform is full of people, but rarely
               leaves the far side of the river at those times. If

26
Bear 814 Lurch                                                                        Adult Male

                                             July 2013                                                       Sept. 2013

                      July 2010                                      July 2006                               Sept. 2011

ID Marks       #814 is a large adult male with a flopped over or
and Hints      cropped right ear, and a distinctive scar above
               his right eye.

               In June and July, his back has a pronounced
               saddle and is sometimes noticeably shed out.
               Late in the summer, his new coat is a uniform
               dark brown.

Life History   #814 was described as a young adult male when            In October 2012, #814 was seen guarding a food
               he was first identified in 2005. Since 2008, this        cache near the mouth of the Brooks River. Later
               bear has becoming increasingly dominant. He              observations determined that he was guard-
               will steal fish and regularly displaces other bears      ing and feeding on a dead bear. It is unknown
               from his preferred fishing spots.                        whether or not #814 killed the bear he was feed-
                                                                        ing on. He likely appropriated the cache from
               He was observed killing #435’s spring cub in             #469 who was seen digging in the same spot.
               June 2009. It is unclear why adult males will
               sometimes kill cubs as the cub is not always             For bears like #814, calories are calories. It
               eaten. Certainly in some situations hunger plays         makes no difference whether or not the calories
               a role, but at other times a cub may be killed           come from salmon or another bear. #814’s ac-
               and not consumed. Motivation to mate with the            tions demonstrate the successful survival skills
               cub’s mother is another hypothesis as to why             of a dominant bear.
               some males perform infanticide.

                                                                                                                      27
Bear 856                                                                              Adult Male

                                            July 2012                                                         Sept. 2012

                      July 2010                                     July 2009                                 Sept. 2010

ID Marks       #856 is a large adult. He has a uniform brown           Like #747 and #814, he is one of the largest
and Hints      and grizzled coat. His ears are blonde and              bears that regularly uses the Brooks River.
               wide-set. His forehead is wide, furred, and has
               a noticeable shed pattern in July. His face and
               front legs may have numerous small scars.

               Unlike most bears, #856 is often seen repeatedly
               licking his lips while he fishes the lip and walks
               around Brooks Falls.

Life History   #856 was classified as a young adult in 2006.           like #856, are adapted to take advantage of their
               Since then, he has been one of the largest, and         position in the hierarchy.
               most dominant bears along the river. Most other
               bears, including #747 and #814, typically yield         In July 2011, #856 managed to separate #402
               space to him.                                           from one of her cubs; he later returned and
                                                                       killed it. It is unclear why adult males will some-
               Over the past several years, he has mated with          times kill cubs as the cub is not always eaten
               several adult females. In Katmai, most male             (also see #814). In this instance #856 and #402
               bears do not have the opportunity to mate               mated in 2010. Therefore, it is possible #856
               with females until they are in their early to mid       killed his own offspring. These two bears mated
               teens—an age when they are large enough to              again in 2012, and #402 returned with three
               compete other adult males for access to females.        spring cubs in 2013.
               However, the hierarchy can change quickly, even
               within the same season. Therefore most bears,

28
Bear 868                          Wayne Brother                                  Adult Male

                                              July 2013                                 Sept. 2012

                       July 2012                                      June 2011         Sept. 2007

ID Marks       #868 has a medium sized body with a light
and Hints      brown coat, and a grooved, medium length
               muzzle. His ears are wide set, triangular, and
               white. When shedding, he has a distinct vase-
               shaped patch around his tail area.

Life History   Bear #868 is a young adult male. He was first
               classified as a sub-adult in 2006. He resembles
               his mother, #438, and is the sibling of #83. A
               third sibling from this litter is rarely seen.

               #83 and #868 are regularly seen in the Brooks
               area and they have fished Brooks Falls at the
               same time, but #868 doesn’t seem to be as
               dominant as his sibling. He can be seen fishing
               at Brooks Falls, the riffles, and in the lower river
               but often yields space to other bears.

                                                                                                29
Bear 879                                                                           Adult Male

                                           Sept. 2013                                                     Oct. 2010

                   August 2013                                 Sept. 2011                                Sept. 2006

ID Marks       #879 has a tall, medium-large body and a brown
and Hints      coat. His muzzle is long and straight. He has
               triangular, upright ears and a long neck.

Life History   #879 was first classified as a subadult in 2006. He   or match those individuals to bears observed
               is now a young adult male. This is a “fall” bear      earlier in the season.
               who has not been identified in July. He may fish
               other streams in the summer, choosing to use
               Brooks River only later in the season. Alterna-
               tively, he may use Brooks River in July but is
               unrecognizable upon returning in late August or
               September.

               Like the salmon they depend upon, brown bears
               go through dramatic physical changes over the
               course of a few weeks. As they gain hundreds of
               pounds and shed their fur, it can become diffi-
               cult to distinguish individuals from one another

30
Adult Females

                                   #236 and yearling cubs                                                         #409 in
                                             in July 2008                                                      Sept. 2009

            #409 and spring cubs                        #468 in July 2006. Note                  #403 and 2.5 year old cub
                    in July 2007                            the breeding scars.                      (bottom) in July 2007

ID Marks       Like adult males, the bodies of adult females             Occasionally, scarring can be an identifier of
and Hints      look filled in, their heads appear smaller in             females. During spring and early summer, scar-
               proportion to their bodies, and their ears are            ring can sometimes present be on the back of a
               generally wide-set.                                       female’s neck. These scars can be the result of
                                                                         male bears biting them during copulation.
               Genitalia is usually difficult to see on female
               bears, but you can still sex adult females by             The presence of cubs is an absolute indicator
               watching them urinate. Females will urinate               that you are looking at a female. Male bears play
               backward between their hind legs.                         no role in raising young.

Life History   Adult females, or sows, generally weigh one-half          This delayed implantation is a remarkable ad-
               to three-quarters as much as males, but can still         aptation which allows the female to give birth in
               grow to weigh between 300-600 pounds (136-                the den—a place where the vunerable newborn
               272 kg) at maturity.                                      cubs are most protected. A female may have
                                                                         no offspring at all if her body didn’t receive the
               In the Katmai region, female bears generally              nutrition it needs over the course of the summer
               reach sexual maturity around six years of age,            and fall.
               but they may not produce their first litter until
               several years later. Mating takes place in late           In the Katmai region, females typically keep their
               spring and early summer. However, fertilized              cubs through two summers, and less commonly
               embryos will not implant in the uterus until a            through three summers.
               female dens for the winter.

                                                                                                                        31
Bear 94                                                                    Adult Female

                                           July 2013                                                     Oct. 2012

                      July 2010                                July 2009                                 Oct. 2012

ID Marks       #94 is a small adult female with a uniform me-
and Hints      dium brown coat, a tapered muzzle that turns up
               at the nose, dark eye rings, and spade-shaped,
               proportionally large ears.

Life History   #94 was classified as young adult female with       Courting brown bears are promiscuous. While
               two spring cubs in 2008.                            #856 fished at the falls, #94 mated with other
                                                                   bears. During 2011 she mated with at least four
               In July 2011 she was courted by #856. Courting      males: #45, #218, #747, and #856. However, she
               is a process through which adult males habituate    had no cubs with her when first seen in 2012,
               adult females to their presence before mating.      nor did she have cubs in 2013. Whether she lost
               During this courtship the pair spent extensive      cubs, or simply failed to give birth, is unknown.
               time along Brooks River’s north bank, in the
               area between the Cultural Site Trail and Brooks
               Falls. As #856’s consort, #94 approached the
               falls much closer than she would have as a single
               bear.

32
Bear 128                         Grazer                                         Adult Female

                                            July 2012                                    Sept. 2012

                      July 2012                                      July 2011           Sept. 2012

ID Marks       #128 is a medium sized adult female with a dark
and Hints      blonde coat and dark patches around her eyes.
               She has large, oval- shaped, and widely spaced
               ears.

               She fishes the lower river, the cut bank, and the
               riffles.

Life History   #128 was first classified as a subadult female in
               2009 and as an adult in 2010. She is another bear
               who has learned to associate people with fish.
               This is a behavior shared with other bears like
               #438 and #854.

               She will rapidly approach anglers who have a fish
               on the line. Anglers should give this bear extra
               space in the river and stop fishing well before she
               is within 50 yards.

                                                                                                 33
Bear 130 Tundra                                                                   Adult Female

                                             July 2012                                                         Sept. 2013

                      May 2010                                        July 2008                                Aug. 2013

ID Marks       #130 is a small adult with a medium-blonde
and Hints      coat and round ears of the same color. She has
               dark brown claws that are lighter on the tips and
               slight eye rings. Her most distinctive feature is a
               scar above her left eye.

Life History   #130 was classified as a 2.5 year-old subadult            As an older subadult, she showed interest in
               in 2009. She commonly fishes the cut bank and             mating. During 2011 she followed a courting
               lower Brooks River. Occasionally she visits the           pair around Brooks Camp for several days.
               falls, but she is not large enough to regularly fish      Shortly afterwards she attempted mating with
               there. This young bear shows signs of habitua-            another subadult. These activities probably re-
               tion towards people, especially around Brooks             flect the curious and playful nature of subadults
               Camp, but she usually avoids other bears and              rather than serious attempts at reproduction.
               people when surprised.

               She is believed to be the offspring of #409. While
               #130 was still being raised by her mother, she
               received a bloody wound above her left eye that
               resulted in her recognizable scar.

34
Bear 402                                                                         Adult Female

                                             July 2013                                                         Sept. 2013

                     June 2002                                       July 2004                                 Sept. 2007

ID Marks       A medium sized adult, #402 has a short, dark
and Hints      blonde coat of fur. Her face is crescent shaped
               with a straight profile.

Life History   #402 has had four known litters, one of which            In July 2011, after a prolonged confrontation
               she raised into their third summer. In 2007 she          with #856, she and her smallest cub became
               arrived at Brooks River with a single spring cub,        separated. During this time the cub was com-
               but soon lost it. She then went back into estrus         pletely defenseless, yet other male bears ignored
               and several males pursued her, most prominent-           it. #856 later returned to the falls and killed the
               ly #218. In 2008, she had three spring cubs.             cub.

               In 2011 she arrived at Brooks River with three           DNA analysis confirmed that #402 and #403 are
               more spring cubs, but she lost this litter by 2012.      siblings. These bears share a mother, physical
                                                                        features, and some behavioral characteristics.
               She fishes the lip and in the lower river; some-         Both will dive for fish, a fairly rare technique.
               times she will dive in the jacuzzi. She is among
               the few females who will fish at Brooks Falls with
               spring cubs.

                                                                                                                        35
Bear 409 Beadnose                                                             Adult Female

                                            July 2010                                                       Sept. 2013

                      July 2011                                   July 2007                               August 2012

ID Marks       #409 has a long, straight muzzle with a slightly
and Hints      upturned nose and a medium-large body.

               She has a light to medium-brown coat with
               wide-set, blonde ears.

               She is often confused with bear #408, especially
               in September and October.

Life History   #409 was classified as a subadult in 1999 and         From 2009-2011, #409 was single and this may
               is frequently seen along Brooks River. Like           be a major reason why #409 has grown into one
               #410, she appears habituated to the presence of       of the fattest females to be seen in the fall. Her
               humans and will use areas near people to rest,        size can easily be compared with females caring
               travel and feed.                                      for cubs. Raising offspring is very energetically
                                                                     taxing for bears. Females with offspring must
               #409 had her first known litter of one cub in         sacrifice body fat to raise cubs. #409, in recent
               2004, and she could be seen with the cub latched      years, has been able to devote more energy to
               onto her back as she swam across the river. She       her own survival as her overall size indicates.
               returned in June 2007 with three spring cubs,
               but was soon observed with only two cubs. She         In 2012, she returned with three spring cubs.
               raised the two survivors through 2008. One bear       This is her third known litter.
               from this litter is now recognized as #130.

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