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21 images Created 5 Jun 2019

Gone Fishing

It was the third week in August 2016 when I took a seven-day cruise along the coast of Katmai National Park in Alaska. The purpose of the trip was to photograph Alaskan Brown Bears. Each day the seven photographers, and our guide, would go up a drainage along the coast to be among the bears to photograph their behaviors. This story is about one bear’s quest for lunch. To see the text for each photo, view in full size.
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  • As winter approaches bears get ready for hibernation by going into a state of hyperphagia--a time when the bears have a ravenous appetite to pack on as much fat as possible to get through the winter.  This bear was looking for fish to help satisfy his quest for calories.
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  • He took time to scratch his nose, but he continued to keep an eye out for fish.
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  • The bears of the Katmai spend enough time fishing that they know where to look.  Fish often hang out in the pools so submerging one’s head in a pool of water has potential for a meal.  But this time he came up empty.
    DSC_1743.jpg
  • Time to look elsewhere.  The bear has the best luck when it is able to scan the full width of the river.  Often fish are moving either upstream or down.  This can make them visible from above the water.  If there is not a fish in the pool, then the next thing to do is to see if there is a fish visible from above the stream surface.
    DSC_1746.jpg
  • This bear is scanning the surface of the stream.
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  • There is movement in the water on the far side of the river.  It is worth a try to check it out, but there is no time to waste.
    DSC_1752.jpg
  • Notice how the bear is not looking at its feet but is staring at a potential snack.
    DSC_1753.jpg
  • Still the focus.  Can you feel the power?
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  • There is an intensity in the charge.  The bear is ignoring me and keeping an eye on food.
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  • Continuing the charge and creating a bit of a splash.
    DSC_1756.jpg
  • Power and intensity
    DSC_1757.jpg
  • Still coming hard.
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  • Closing in.
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  • The prize is in sight.
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  • Almost there.  The fish is struggling to get to deeper water, but there is none to be had.
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  • Gotcha.  The rush pays off for the bear.  Now it just has to clamp down and not let the fish escape.
    DSC_1766.jpg
  • As the bear tightens its bite on the fish, roe is forced out.  Notice the claws that can be used if necessary to keep the fish from escaping.
    DSC_1767.jpg
  • As the last of the roe is squeezed out of the fish, the bear gets ready to take it to dry land to have a meal.
    DSC_1768.jpg
  • As the bear eats the fish a raven shows up in case there are any leftovers. Nothing of the fish will go to waste
    DSC_1772.jpg
  • The bear makes quick work of the fish. But the hyperphagia makes the bear go back into the stream to look for another meal.  That will go on all day long, increasing the chances that the bear will have enough fat to survive hibernation.  From the time the bear saw the fish move until it was in the bears mouth was four seconds.
    DSC_1774.jpg
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