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| Our advisors are a team of Alaska's
top park rangers, wildlife biologist, bush pilots, naturalist, photographers,
hoteliers, and other seasoned travel professionals sharing their best
insights with you. Learn
more about who we are» |
| Bear Trivia |
| Quick
Facts |
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What you might not
know |
- There are 8 species of bear in the world right now. In the
next 20—30 years, the fate of most of those species will
be decided. Some people would be fine eradicating bears in the
wild to accommodate human settlement—some states have
even organized bear hunts. But bears are as important to the
balance of nature as sheep or salmon. It's up to those of us
who care for bears to look out for their survival.
- Bears can eat up to 15% of their body weight in one day.
- Bears gain up to 200 pounds between spring and fall.
- Bears reach an age of 30 years or more, if they're lucky.
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Bears and people are very similar in the kinds
of foods we like (we're both omnivores with a passion for salmon),
habitats we prefer, even our mutual curiosity. We're pretty much
competitors for the same niche. But people have won this battle.
The only place we'll have bears in the future is where humans have
decided to let bears live and Alaska is one of the largest places.
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| A little history |
| In the early 1940's, the park dump in Yellowstone
was a bear-viewing hotspot. People would put garbage out for bears
and gather on bleachers to watch the spectacle. These days, bear-viewing
is much more respectful of the bear's environment. And in Alaska,
it's still a relatively new concept—only in the last 8—10
years has formal bear viewing really become popular. |
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At the famous McNeil River, people have seen as
many as 72 bears at one time and 150 through the course of a day.
In last few years, the numbers at McNeil have not been quite as
high, but one can still see 40—45 at one time. That many bears
together in one place will lead to some interesting behaviors.
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