Chuck Schneebeck Photography

Not everyone would want to be up close and personal with one of the world’s largest living terrestrial carnivores, but the time I spent photographing brown bears on the coast of Katmai National Park in Alaska was nothing short of exhilarating. Salmon and other fish that live in the rivers and the tidal basins are a critical component of the Alaskan brown bears diet, and this rich food source is an important factor in their large size. We spent seven days plying the coast of Katmai National Park, anchoring where streams entered the ocean, and hiking up the rivers to observe and photograph the bears. “It would be fitting, I think, if among the last man-made tracks on earth would be found the huge footprints of the great brown bear.” – Earl Fleming
Prince.