Season 2014: July - October

September - October: Peak Season
Alaskan brown bears are fattening up on salmon before hibernation begins. As many as forty bears can be seen on the Lower River Cam during this peak season. Get to know the bears and follow the news:

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Mid to Late July: Returning to Feast
Hundreds of Alaskan brown bears descend upon Katmai National Park to feast on the largest Sockeye Salmon run in the world. The bears eat up to 40 salmon a day—that's 100 pounds of fish and 100,000 calories.

Background
The bears start arriving by the end of July. Peak season is September and October. Early in the salmon run, Brooks Falls creates a temporary barrier to migrating salmon providing a fishing spot for bears. The time of year, salmon densities, and spawning activity dictate when, where, and how bears feed along the river.

The Brooks River hosts one of the greatest seasonal concentrations of brown bears anywhere on earth. It is one of the first streams in the region where pre-spawned salmon are available to bears.

Bears are eating machines. They must consume enough calories over spring, summer, and fall to sustain them through their winter denning period.

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