Each July Silver and King salmon return from the ocean by way of Brooks Lake and swim up the Brooks River to Naknek Lake. Brooks Falls is just one obstacle facing these salmon. Not only must the fish leap high enough to reach the top of the falls, they must also avoid the Grizzly bears that try to catch them below, at and above the falls. Dozens of Alaskan brown bears are found in the Brooks River area in July and many are often seen at the falls or in the river below the falls each day. When the salmon run has ended, usually by late July, the bears disperse, only to gather along Brooks River again in September as the dying salmon, too weak to swim, float back down the river after having spawned out in Naknek Lake.
Brown bear (grizzly bear). Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA
Species: Brown bear, Ursus arctos
Location: Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska
Image ID: 17082
Format: Digital 2:3
Brown bear (grizzly bear). Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA
Species: Brown bear, Ursus arctos
Location: Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska
Image ID: 17082
Format: Digital 2:3
Keywords: alaska, alaskan brown bear, animal, animalia, arctos, bear, brooks falls, brooks river, brown bear, caniformia, carnivora, carnivore, chordata, coastal brown bear, environment, grizzly bear, katmai, katmai national park, mammal, national park, national parks, nature, outdoors, outside, ursidae, ursus, ursus arctos, ursus arctos horribilis, usa, vertebrata, vertebrate
Categories:
- Animal > Mammal > Bear > Brown Bear
- Animal > Mammal > Bear > Grizzly Bear
- Location > Protected Threatened and Significant Places > National Parks > Katmai National Park (Alaska)
- Location > USA > Alaska > Katmai National Park > Brooks River > Brooks Falls
Copyright © Phillip Colla / Oceanlight.com, all rights reserved worldwide.
This professional quality stock photo can be licensed in high resolution form by contacting the photographer: Phillip Colla, photos@oceanlight.com, (760) 707-7153, more info and photographer bio.