LIVE WEBCAM WITH BEARS FISHING FOR SALMON

More info: Katmai National Park and Reserve is on a peninsula in southern Alaska and is well known for the several thousands of brown bears that are drawn to the abundant salmon. The webcam is placed at Brooks Falls and the busiest time to watch the bears is July when the dominant males compete for the best fishing spots. Bears are in the area from mid spring until mid fall and a few bears may fish at Brooks Falls in September and October.

The survival of the brown bear is dependent on attaining enough calories over the course of the spring, summer, and fall to sustain them through their winter hibernation. At Brooks Falls, brown bears feast on the world's largest sockeye salmon run. Brown bears consume up to 40 salmon - as much as 100 pounds - daily. When the season has just started, the bears will eat the whole fish and then later in the season, eat only the fat-rich parts.

Katmai’s brown bears are some of the largest bears in the world. They can stand 3-5 feet (.9-1.5 m) at the shoulder and measure 7-10 (2.1-3 m) feet in length. Most adult males typically weigh 600-900 pounds (272-408 kg) in mid-summer. By October and November, large adult males can weigh well over 1000 pounds (454 kg). Adult females average about 1/3 less in weight than adult males.