Bears of Katmai National Park
Established in 1918 as a national park and preserve in Alaska, Katmai was first designated to protect the area around the cataclysmic 1912 volcanic eruption of Novarupta, which formed the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. The park includes almost two dozen volcanoes, seven of which have been active throughout the past 120 years. Katmai National Park and Preserve encompasses 4,093,077 acres located on the northern Alaska Peninsula, northwest of Kodiak Island and southwest of Homer, Alaska. The current national park and surrounding lands were established in 1980 under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, hosting a diverse variety of wildlife and including one of the largest sockeye salmon runs on the planet.
Katmai is primarily accessed by plane from Anchorage, Homer, King Salmon and Kodiak Island. Brooks Falls and remote camps and lodges along the Naknek River drainage system can be reached by small float, wheeled planes or powerboat from Naknek and King Salmon. Multi-day float trips are also available for the more adventurous.
Seasonal Habits Of The Bears Of Katmai
Having conducted over 150 bear trips, I would say bears are without a doubt my favorite wildlife subject. With approximately 2,200 brown bears estimated to reside in the park, Katmai is one of the premier brown bear viewing areas in the world. Katmai hosts a variety of habitats, with each offering unique bear behavior depending on the time of year.
In spring, the bears can be found in coastal meadows feeding on sedges and clams in the mudflats at low tide. June is mating time; boars (male bears) can typically be found relentlessly following female bears (sows) in estrus. This often leads to confrontation among competing males, and while severe battles can and do
