A Special THANK YOU to McKate As She Retires!:[]
mckate has captured countless hours of Explore.org BearCam footage in over 6,000 videos from July 2018 to November 2023. mckate's videos have had over 1.9 million views on her YouTube channel. mckate lovingly organized her videos into priceless playlists by bear. mckate's community tab on her YouTube channel provides additional information about the bears/bearcams. mckate's contribution to the BearCam community over the years has been monumental, especially in the form of contributions to the BearCam wiki. mckate's videos can be found on the wiki pages of each and every bear that has used the Brooks River from July 2018 to November 2023.
mckate, there are truly no words to adequately thank you for all that you have done for our community with your labor of love. The treasure trove of videos you have captured is a priceless gift that we will be eternally thankful for!
Enjoy your retirement mckate, you deserve it! ♥
2024 Bear Celebration Days Calendar:[]
From Birgitt on November 10, 2023 08:53 AKDT:
"Update: BetsyBear (TEAM OTIS 4EVER) contacted Explore and they have told us that they intend to include the Bear Celebration Days in their offseason programing, so it looks like the the celebrations will take place here, in the BearCam chat. So take a copy of the schedule and make a note on your calendar to check in after the first of the year for to learn and celebrate the bears. Meanwhile, get together your favorite moments and sunsets and bear clips!?
2024 Bear Celebration Days Calendar Birgitt p 11/10/2023 08:53
From Birgitt on November 5, 2023 11:08 AKDT:
"...In the off season, we come together to celebrate and learn about our bears in more depth. Thanks to kissper and deelynnd for starting and maintaining this tradition. This year BetsyBear (TEAM OTIS 4EVER) has done yeoman’s work putting together the calendar and making all the suggested edits by me and others. Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and ideas. I think we got most of them. This is the final version.
We have tried to put the bears in family or other logical groupings and, while they are not perfect, I hope we have created a framework by which people can more easily remember and make sense of this bear population. Especially since we have well over 100 bears on here!
Ideally, the Bear Celebration Days will take place from January - June here in the BearCam Chat. If that is not possible, we will find another home for them and will let people know in the Off Topic Chat, so make a note on your calendars to check in December.
2024 Bear Celebration Days Calendar; Birgitt p 11/05/2023 11:08
428 "Svetlana"/"Studious" & 429 "Mila"/"Social" 2023 NPS Photographs from Ranger Tammy Carmack:[]
428 "Svetlana"/"Studious":[]
Summer 2023:[]
Ranger Tammy Carmack, KNP&P Bear Monitor provided these Summer 2023 NPS photographs of 428 "Svetlana"/"Studious" to LTC on October 24, 2023:
Fall 2023:[]
Ranger Tammy Carmack, KNP&P Bear Monitor provided these Fall 2023 NPS photographs of 428 "Svetlana"/"Studious" to LTC on October 24, 2023:
429 "Mila"/"Social":[]
Summer 2023:[]
Ranger Tammy Carmack, KNP&P Bear Monitor provided these Summer 2023 NPS photographs of 429 "Mila"/"Social" to LTC on October 24, 2023:
Fall 2023:[]
Ranger Tammy Carmack, KNP&P Bear Monitor, provided these Fall 2023 NPS photographs of 429 "Mila"/"Social" to LTC on October 24, 2023:
505's Fall 2023 Notable Observation by Ranger Tammy Carmack:[]
Ranger Tammy Carmack, KNP&P bear monitor, informed LTC on October 17, 2023 that when 505 was notably observed (less than 3 times) during the Fall 2023 official bear monitoring sessions that 505 was a observed as a single female that had lost her spring cub.
2023 Official Bears Monitored List & More Information from Ranger Tammy Carmack, KNP&P Bear Monitor:[]
Ranger Tammy Carmack, KNP&P bear monitor, provided the following to LTC on the evening of October 16, 2023:
2023 Official Bears Monitored List:[]
July seen 3x or more:[]
17, 26, 27, 28, 32, 39, 83, 88, 89, 101, 128, 129, 132, 133, 146, 147, 151, 153, 164, 171, 208, 224, 225, 230, 261, 273, 284, 306, 307, 308, 335, 345, 354, 358, 396, 402, 435, 477, 504, 505, 610, 634, 708, 717, 719, 747, 801, 803, 806, 807, 820, 821, 831, 854, 856, 901, 903, 907, 908, 909, 910, 912, and 913
Notable July, seen less than 3x:[]
18, 20, 94, 193, 480, 482, 813
Fall seen 3x or more:[]
22, 26, 32, 83, 94, 101, 129, 131, 132, 133, 151, 164, 208, 212, 217, 224, 225, 230, 261, 273, 274, 284, 307, 308, 335, 344, 384, 402, 428, 429, 435, 480, 602, 610, 708, 719, 747, 806, 811, 820, 821, 831, 856, 879, 901, 903, 907, 908, 909, 910, and 913
Notable Fall, seen less than 3x:[]
89, 99, 128, 144, 193, 348, 354, 396, 469, 504, 505, 900
428 "Svetlana"/"Studious" & 429 "Mila"/"Social" Official NPS Photographs:[]
Ranger Tammy Carmack will provide official NPS photographs of 428 "Svetlana"/"Studious" & 429 "Mila"/"Social" at a later date.
200 Series Bears NPS Photographs & Information:[]
There are no NPS photographs or additional information (sex, age, identification, distinctive behaviors, etc.) available for the following bears. The bear monitor does not have clear photographs of these bears. There are various reasons for the lack of photographs/additional information on these bears including: the bears not being observed again and/or the identifications were uncertain.:
210, 214, 215, 220, 228
THANK YOU RANGER TAMMY CARMACK!
Ranger Naomi Boak October 13, 2023 08:56 Update on "Snare Bear":[]
Ranger Naomi Boak's October 13, 2023 08:56 Update on the "Snare Bear":
"Good day, everyone. I heard from a fellow ranger who is still in King Salmon that the park's search team did thorough sweeps at Brooks to look for the bear that might have a snare around its neck. Sadly, they did not find the bear. Thank you all for spotting the bear on the cams. Since it is not a bear that is regularly at the river, it was a long shot that it could be found. The bear management team was prepared to aid the bear if found."
Ranger Naomi Boak's October 13, 2023 08:56 update on the 2023 "Snare Bear"
Is it still important to keep an eye out for the "Snare Bear"? Yes, it is! Please post in the bearcam comments if you believe that you have seen the "Snare Bear". Time and location are important to note and please include snapshots if possible.
901 Lost Her 2nd Spring Cub of the 2023 Season on Thursday, October 5, 2023:[]
901 lost her second spring cub of the season on Thursday, October 5, 2023. On Friday, October 6, 2023 at 11:35 AKDT, Ranger Tammy Carmack, KNP&P Bear Monitor, shared the information with LTC that one of 901's spring cubs was killed in the woods near corner in the late afternoon of Thursday, October 5, 2023. It appears 901's lighter spring cub is the cub that was killed. (LTC is attempting to confirm with Ranger Tammy Carmack).
The Kat's River View cam is turned off for the month of October to extend privacy to the native family. A live cam view of the "Corner" area would not have been available to cam viewers on October 5, 2023 when this incident took place.
Some viewers have asked where is "Corner"/what "Corner"? Here is a map, snapshot, and some information to allow viewers to understand the location.:
"The corner is the area by the river bank just south of the permanent bridge between the Closed Trail and the point. The rangers used to stand at the corner when the floating bridge was used so that they could see bears coming from different directions. The woods are between the Camp and the river south of the bridge."
Map - Shows the location of "Corner" - the woods are between the camp and the river south of the bridge
zey], h_katmai_national_park_exploreorg_334/newest/#comment-6295740379 AnnaChristie] for your
Thank you & laska_river_watch_katmai_national_park_exploreorg_334/newest/#comment-6295739711 Mazey, for your ] Thank you Mazey, CamOp Scout/Moderator & AnnaChristie for your assistance in understanding the location!
Attention Brooks River Bear Photographers:[]
Katmai Conservancy has exciting news!
Katmai Conservancy's calendar will be going to print as soon as a Fat Bear Champ is crowned, but this year, they have reserved space for photo submissions from Fat Bear fans! This is your opportunity to contribute to the bears of Katmai and have your photo featured in their 2024 calendar. Go to their website information at this link to get the details.
Day Is Done, October 3, 2023 by Scooch:[]
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.
Goodnight 128 Grazer, wherever you are.
The file of Scooch's gif was too large (18.3 MB) to upload to wiki, please click here to view the beautiful gif of the lower river on October 3, 2023
(p 10/04/2023 00:40 - An Explore.org moderator removed the post even with Scooch having Explore's permission to post nightly Day Is Done comments; gif only link)
Day Is Done by Scooch October 3, 2023
Gif Only Link
Removed from Bearcam Comments by an Explore Moderator
402's Female Yearling Attacked & Wounded by 94:[]
On October 3, 2023 KNP&P's bear monitor, Ranger Tammy Carmack, observed 402's female yearling being injured by 94. Ranger Tammy shared this information with LTC in a direct message at 20:17 AKDT:
"You can tell people on Webcam that I saw what happened to 402s yearling. 94 attacked her pretty viciously on the spit. "protecting her cubs" She's lucky ... there are at least 3 bite marks. If 402 hadn’t returned, she most likely would have been fatally injured."
The live cam that provides a view of the spit and the mouth of Brooks River is off for the month of October to respect the privacy of the native family making it impossible for cam viewers to have observed the altercation between 94 and 402's female yearling. Shortly before 19:46 AKDT, cam viewers did observe 402 and her female yearling grazing under the permanent bridge after 94 attacked 402's yearling. From the KRV cam, viewers observed a bite mark on both sides of the yearling's neck posterior of her ears; and wounds on her left hip and ankle. 402's female yearling has recently appeared curious about 94's two male yearlings, see mckate's September 21, 2023 video for an example cam viewers observed.
Cam viewers captured the following snapshots and created these gifs and videos of the 402 family group after 94 attacked 402's yearling:
Bearoplane747 gif (p 20:12). Caligirl1218 snapshot (p 19:48). BearLove56 snapshot (p 19:53). 901fan snapshots (#1 & #2) (p 19:54 & 20:03). Call_Me_Maeby snapshot (p 19:54). kazbear snapshot (p 21;46). luvak64 snapshot (p 19:46). WinterRose snapshot (p 19:46).:
twelve22 captured this video of the 402 family group (longer & includes 402):
402 and Her Yearling Graze Under the Bridge - October 3, 2023 (explore.org)
r in the results for your area are the people by twelve22
mckate captured this video of 402's yearling (shorter, focuses on yearling & shows wounds):
3 Oct 2023- 402's Girl Grazes Under the Cam (explore.org)
n NPS photographs of 138 and 900. These NPS photogr by mckate
The Looming Government Shutdown of Midnight September 30, 2023 into October 1, 2023, Fat Bear Week & So Much More:[]
The 2023 Fat Bear week pre-event has kicked off with the 2023 Fat Bear Junior Contest already underway and Fat Bear Junior Finals going on today (September 29, 2023). 2023 Fat Bear Week is currently scheduled to run from October 4, 2023 - October 10, 2023. Fat Bear Week is an extremely popular contest that attracts attention and voters from around the globe. The looming United States Federal Government shutdown has many Fat Bear Week voters concerned.
A Message From Mike Fitz, Resident Naturalist with Explore.org:[]
Mike Fitz, Resident Naturalist with Explore.org, stopped by the bear cam comments to address the concerns of voters and viewers on September 29, 2023 at 05:49:
"Hi everyone. Many people have questions about Fat Bear Week's status if there is a lapse in federal funding and the federal government shuts down on Oct. 1. There are many uncertainties involved right now, so I can't provide definitive answers for much. However, I am comfortable saying that in the event of a gov't shutdown, Fat Bear Week will likely be postponed, especially if the shutdown lasts more than 1-2 days. Fat Bear Week is an event produced by the partnership between Katmai National Park and explore.org. It remains Katmai's event and we can't produce it without the rangers. Both Ranger Naomi an Ranger Felicia will be furloughed along with most other NPS staff if there is a shutdown. There is no legal exemption that allows Felicia and Naomi to work during a shutdown. While I remain confident that Fat Bear Week will happen this year, I am unsure if it'll happen as currently scheduled.
You can help by contacting your Congresspersons. This about much more than Fat Bear Week, really. FBW will get a lot of headlines, yes, but a federal gov't shutdown hurts a lot of people. Federal employees no longer get paychecks. Concession employees (such as the people who work the shops and cafes at the Smithsonian or in parks) get laid off too and they won't get back pay once the shutdown ends. It wastes taxpayer money. Right now, all over the nation, every national park is spending extraordinary amounts of staff time getting ready for a shutdown. They are doing work that inhibits their ability to do their regular jobs. Plus, after a shutdown ends the backlog of work is even greater for park staff. None of the things on a ranger's to do list goes away during a shutdown. It just piles up more and hinders their ability to adequately protect parks.
The bears and salmon of Katmai don't care about Fat Bear Week or our petty political squabbles. But they need healthy, wild habitats in order to survive and thrive. Unnecessary gov't shutdowns negatively affect the ability of the National Park Service and other federal agencies to protect our public lands."
Mike Fitz' September 29, 2023 05:49 AKDT comment re: Looming Government Shutdown, 2023 Fat Bear Week & SO MUCH MORE!
How To Find and Contact Your Federal Government Representatives:[]
Use this link to find and contact your elected officials.
Get the names and contact information for the people who represent you on the federal, state, and local levels at the above link. The U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives that appear in the results for your area are the people you will want to reach out to to help prevent the looming government shutdown.
July 2022 NPS Photographs of 138 and 900 via Mike Fitz:[]
While Mike Fitz was at Brooks Camp during the 2023 season, he was able to obtain prior season NPS photographs of 138 and 900. These NPS photographs were added to the respective bear's wiki pages, but also sharing here so more wiki users are aware these NPS photographs are now available to cam viewers/wiki users.
Thank you Mike Fitz! Thank you radioquiet & Birgitt for your help obtaining these NPS photographs!:
138 July 2022 NPS Photographs:[]
900 July 2022 NPS Photographs:[]
NPS Photographs of 708 Amelia and her 3 Spring Cubs by Ranger Tammy Carmack:[]
On September 17, 2023 at 15:24, Ranger Tammy Carmack, KNP&P Bear Monitor, provided LTC with NPS photographs of 708 Amelia and her 3 spring cubs:
708 Amelia with her 3 spring cubs September 15, 2023 NPS photograph by Ranger Tammy Carmack, KNP&P Bear Monitor
(provided to LTC by Ranger Tammy Carmack with permission to share on the bearcam wiki)
708 Amelia with her 3 spring cubs September 15, 2023 NPS photograph by Ranger Tammy Carmack, KNP&P Bear Monitor (provided to LTC by Ranger Tammy Carmack with permission to share on the bearcam wiki)
708 Amelia September 17, 2023 NPS photograph by Ranger Tammy Carmack, KNP&P Bear Monitor
(provided to LTC by Ranger Tammy Carmack with permission to share on the bearcam wiki):
708 Amelia September 17, 2023 NPS photograph by Ranger Tammy Carmack, KNP&P Bear Monitor (provided to LTC by Ranger Tammy Carmack with permission to share on the bearcam wiki)
128 Grazer's 2023 Emancipated 3.5 Year-Old Cubs Obtain Their Bear Monitoring Numbers:[]
On September 16, 2023, Ranger Tammy Carmack, KNP&P's Bear Monitor, provided LTC with the official bear monitoring numbers for 128 Grazer's 2023 3.5 year-old emancipated subadults. The new wiki pages for these 2023 newly emancipated subadults are in the process of being created. Please enjoy the information that is currently available on them. LTC will continue to add to them as time permits.
THANK YOU RANGER TAMMY!!!!!
428 "Svetlana"/"Studious"[]
429 "Mila"/"Social"[]
2023 Season Official Bears Monitored List:[]
Ranger Tammy Carmack hopes to be able to provide the 2023 Official Bears Monitored List around mid-October 2023. LTC will provide updates on this page, so please check back in mid-October for that news to be shared.
Thank You to All Who Contribute to the Bearcam Wiki Content:[]
The majority of the bearcam wiki content comes from:
- Countless bearcam viewers that create videos, gifs, and/or take snapshots from the Explore.org live cams
- Countless bearcam viewers that share their thoughts, theories, hunches on who/what we are witnessing on this pearl of the planet gracious provided though Explore.org/Charles Anneberg Weingarten
- Park visitors (some of which are also cam viewers) that generously share their photographs and videos from their trips to Brooks Camp/Katmai and grant us their permission to use their priceless media on the bearcam wiki
- Information and photographs provided by the KNP&P staff and Mike Fitz, Resident Naturalist with Explore.org
THANK YOU for helping us make the bearcam wiki the most valuable resource it can be! We could not do it without YOU!!!!
If you have taken at trip to Brooks Camp/Katmai and wish to grant us permission to use your photographs/videos on the bearcam wiki, please contact us at KatmaiBrooksBears@gmail.com for us to obtain your permission to add them to the bearcam wiki. We would give you credit for your photographs and/or videos and also request that bearcam wiki users obtain your permission PRIOR to using your media. Examples of how that is shown can be found on just about every bear's individual bearcam wiki page.