The Lives of the Others - The Brown Bears of Katmai National Park

I was very fortunate to have discovered a live web cam link by chance that allowed me to look at, as well as monitoring the lives of brown bears in Alaska's Katmai National Park.

The web cam, on Explore.org, is available 24x7, there are also several cameras to choose from, to let one catch a glimpse of the brown bears, as well as other animals such as Osprey, Puffins, Pandas, Puppies, etc, from the comfort of your computer.

Brooks Falls, Katmai National Park, Alaska

It is especially exciting now during the month of July and the first two weeks of August because it is also when salmons swim upriver to breed, commonly known as salmon jump, that is when hundreds of bears gather along the Brooks River to feast on the largest Sockeye Salmon run of the world.

Over a period of just three days I have learned to identify a few key characters that frequent Brooks Falls. There is 480 Otis, an older male, who reputably has the best fishing technique, he likes sitting in the river, you will find him at This usual position which is closest to the camera where the white water is, known to the viewers as the jacuzzi.

There is 814 Lurch, a dominant male who has a bit of a temper, who also has a big bottom and likes to fish on top of the fall. There is 469 Patches, who has a distinctive diamond shaped patch on his left shoulder and left leg that was badly injured just a month ago, whose method of fishing is to dip his right paw into the water. The left leg is looking much better now and looks like Patches will make it.

Bear 402 and her spring cubs

And then there is 634 Popeye who has a big hump, 747 the giant male, 409 Beadnose with her three yearlings, as well as 402, an excellent fisher, with her spring cubs, Snorkels the sub-adult who is always nervous yet playful, whose fishing skill needs to be brushed up in preparation for the harsh Alaskan Winter, and countless others.

All these bears just made me fell in love, every time I click on the link I wonder what they are up to, and catching up with their stories from the community forum.

I hope you will enjoy this week's highlight as much as I did! If you are screaming for more, click on this link for the live web cam overlooking Brooks Falls.