Get ready, internet, because the greatest reality show on Earth has officially returned. Alaska's Katmai National Park has fired up its live webcams along the Brooks River and at Brook Falls, meaning it's time to watch some very large brown bears get even larger.
Because apparently that's where we are now. And honestly? We wouldn't have it any other way.
The cameras went live on June 23rd, just in time for the annual salmon migration. The bears' mission is simple: feast like there's no tomorrow, pack on hundreds of pounds, and prepare for a winter nap that would make a college student jealous. You can catch all the action on explore.org or YouTube, where you can also join live chats and pepper experts with all your burning bear questions.
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Start Your News DetoxThe Great Salmon Stuffing
Every year, these magnificent Ursus arctos — let's call them the ultimate bulk-up artists — descend on Brooks Falls to gorge on salmon. It's a critical, high-stakes buffet. By late summer, the salmon will have spawned and started their inevitable decline, pushing the bears downstream in September and October to hoover up the dead and dying fish near the river's mouth. Nothing goes to waste when survival is on the line.
July and September are prime viewing months, with bears chowing down on over 120 pounds of salmon a day. Yes, you read that right. One hundred and twenty pounds. In a single day. You might even spot some bonus wildlife like wolves, eagles, and gulls trying to get in on the action. It's a whole ecosystem of opportunistic diners.
If the salmon run is good, a bear can gain a pound a day. An adult male who starts the season around 700 pounds can balloon to over 1,200 pounds by fall. This isn't just for show; bears can lose up to a third of their body weight during hibernation. All that summer feasting is literally the difference between life and a very long, cold dirt nap.
And yes, these are the very same bears you vote for in the annual Fat Bear Week tournament every September. Remember Chunk, the 2025 champion? He was spotted emerging from hibernation in April, all 1,200 pounds of him, strolling across a patch of ice. The same Chunk who, last year, started the salmon run with a broken jaw (likely from a romantic spat) and still managed to catch enough fish to win the title. If that's not dedication, what is?
So, grab your popcorn (or, you know, some salmon), and settle in. It’s going to be a deliciously gluttonous summer.
