Watch Grizzly Bears Catch Salmon
Ticked off in August 2014
Watch a grizzly stand at the top of a waterfall and snatch a leaping salmon out of the air.
The adventure
The bear stands on the lip of the falls, perfectly still, water rushing around its legs. Salmon hurl themselves out of the white water below, one after another, trying to clear the drop. Then one jumps straight towards it, the jaws snap shut and the bear wades off to eat.
In the peak of the salmon run, dozens of bears gather on the best rivers, with big males claiming the prime spots and mothers keeping their cubs well away from them. They can eat dozens of fish a day, building fat for the winter. From the safety of a viewing platform or a guide's boat you hear the splashing, the growls and the crunch, and see how much the salmon matter to everything in these forests.
Why it’s epic
- Bears fishing at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park, Alaska.
- Dozens of bears on the best rivers at the peak of the salmon run.
- Cubs learning to fish from their mothers.
What it is
Each summer, salmon swim back up the rivers of Alaska and British Columbia to spawn, and brown bears gather at waterfalls and shallows to catch them.
How to do it
Visit a bear-viewing area such as Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park, Anan Creek near Wrangell or the Great Bear Rainforest, usually by floatplane or boat with a guide.
Top tip
Bring binoculars and a long lens, and be ready to wait: the best moments come to the patient.
Need to know
- Only view bears with a guide or from official platforms.
- Book months ahead: places at the best viewing spots are limited.
- Floatplane flights are weather-dependent.
Do it yourself
My experience
Ticked off, but the full story is still to be written up.
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