608 late August 2007 photo courtesy of Mike Fitz (zoom)
Adult Female ~ No Longer Seen
Year First Identified: 2002 as 2.5 year-old independent subadult, 2000 Year of birth
Year Last Identified: July 2011
Known Offspring Of: 236 Milkshake & 219 One-Toe
Known Litters of Cubs: 2
Genetics Study Samples Obtained: It is not known to us how or when genetics study samples of 608 were obtained or by whom, but we do have the DNA evidenced known relatives listed below in the designated section of this page. Please see the "Known Relatives" section below..
Identification:[]
2010 Bears of Brooks River book: 608 has a medium-small body and a dark blonde coat with lighter head. The fur around her neck often gives her mane and forehead a fluffy appearance. She has dark claws and a long muzzle.
Distinctive Behaviors:[]
2010 Bears of Brooks River book: She frequently fishes the lower river and uses the area around camp. However, she is a defensive mother around bears and people.
She and her first litter of cubs obtained play rewards in the form of unattended property on the lodge porch, cabin porches, and from boats.There is good evidence that she obtained play rewards from humans as a cub.
While #608 is not a “problem” bear, her past behavior, especially with cubs, highlights the importance of maintaining appropriate distances as well as storing all equipment properly so that bears don’t learn to associate our possessions
with toys.
Life History:[]
2000: Year of Birth, Spring Cub with 236 Milkshake and her two littermates (604 Little is one)[]
608 would have been a spring cubs in 2000. DNA analysis has confirmed that 608 is the 2000 offspring of 236 Milkshake. 608 spent 2000 with her littermates (604 Little is one of them) and 236 Milkshake. DNA analysis has confirmed that 608 and 604 Little are siblings from 236 Milkshake's 2000 litter of 3 spring cubs.
2001: Yearling Cub with 236 Milkshake & 604 Little[]
608 would have been a yealring in 2001, remaining with her mother, 236 Milkshake and her littermates. 604 LIttle is one of them. DNA analysis has confirmed that 236 Milkshake is 608's mother. DNA analysis has confirmed that 608 and 604 Little are siblings from 236 Milkshake's 2000 litter of 3 spring cubs.
2002: 2.5 Year-old Independent Subadult[]
608 was first seen independent as a 2.5 year old bear in 2002.
October 2002:[]
2004: 4.5 Year-old Independent Subadult[]
June 2004:[]
2005: 5.5 Year-Old Adult Female[]
2006: 6.5 Year-Old Adult Female with 2 Spring Cubs[]
Add here
2007: 7.5 Year-Old Adult Female with 2 Yearlings[]
2007 Season:[]
608 and her two yearlings being hazed out of Brooks Camp in 2007 video by maxventuri:
608 and her yearlings with the basketball in this 2007 video by KNP&P:
June 2007:[]
This may be 608 and her two yearlings that can be seen in this June 2007 photo by High Plains Photographer :
July 2007:[]
August 2007:[]
2007.08.??: (Late August): On November 21, 2017 at 19:51 Mike Fitz shared this photo of 608.:
Please request Mike Fitz' permission prior to using his photo!
2007.08.29: NPS photo of 608 on August 29, 2007. 608 has a faint line of lighter-colored fur where her natal collar once was. Photo provided by Mike Fitz, Resident Naturalist with Explore.org (p 07/21/2022 20:46 DLCB).:
7.5 year-old 608 with a faint line of lighter-colored fur where her natal collar was on August 29, 2007 NPS photo provided by Mike Fitz (p 07/21.2022 20:46 DLCB)
2009: 9.5 Year-Old Adult Female[]
July 2009:[]
2009.07.16: 608 on July 16, 2009 photo captured by Ranger Roy Wood.
2009.07.26: Ranger Roy Wood captured this 7/26/2009 photo of 608.
September 2009:[]
2010: 10.5 Year-Old Adult Female with 2 Spring Cubs[]
608 was included in the 2010 Bears of Brooks River book on page 39.:
2010 Season:[]
608 is a young female and was first seen independent as a 2.5 year old bear in 2002.
2010.??.??: This 2010 video by Timberpak Video Prod-Ken Roggow shows 608 and her 2 spring cubs fishing along the far bank of Brooks Falls, 0:00-2:17. Mike Fitz commented on the identification of the sow and cubs .
2010.??.??: This video by Matt Hirt combines footage from his trips in 2010 and 2013. Matt Hirt shared this information about his video : "Hi SnowCrane, glad you were enjoying it...what an amazing place! I'm fortunate to have visited twice and the footage here is a combination of both years. The first half was shot in 2010 and shows (I believe) bear 608 (with 2 small spring cubs) and 438 Flo (on sand spit with two very large cubs). The second half (change of music) was shot in 2013 and you are absolutely correct, that is 402 with her 3 spring cubs. As you probably know, 2 of these little guys didn't return from hibernation in 2014 and the remaining one (503) became a "bear celebrity" of sorts after 402 abandoned him as a yearling and he was later adopted by 435 Holly".
608 and her 2 spring cubs are in the beginning of Matt's video :
Brown Bear Cubs in Katmai National Park, Alaska - Matt Hirt (beginning half 608 with 2 spring cubs in 2010, 2nd half 402 with 3 spring cubs ~ 503 Cubadult ~ in 2013)
July 2010:[]
2010.07.10: 608 nursing her two spring cubs in this photo by Ranger Roy Wood.
2011: 11.5 Year-Old Adult Female with Yearling Cubs, Year Last Observed in July 2011[]
July 2011:[]
608 was seen once in July 2011, but not since then.
2012: Information Only, Last Observed in July 2011[]
608 was included in the 2012 Brown Bears of Brooks Camp iBook.:
2014: Information Only, Last Observed in July 2011[]
608 was included in the 2014 Bears of Brooks River Book on page 41.:
2015: Information Only, Last Observed in July 2011[]
608 was included in the 2015 Bears of Brooks River book on page 90.:
608 was included in subsequent editions of the Bears of Brooks River books, the information and photos remained the same, only the page number changed.
2016 Bears of Brooks River book, page 100. The 2016 edition also provided a link to this 2007 video .:
Known Courting & Mating:[]
Add here
Known Litters of Cubs:[]
1st Known Litter: 2006[]
2006: 2 Spring Cubs
2007: 2 Yearlings
2nd Known Litter: 2010[]
2010: 2 Spring Cubs
2011: 2 Yearlings, Last Year Observed
Known Relatives:[]
DNA analysis indicates that she is the offspring of #236 and #219 and the sibling of #604. Along with #604, #608 was raised in the Brooks River area.
Mother: 236 Milkshake
DNA analysis confirmed that 236 Milkshake is the mother of 608.
Father: 219 One-Toe (aka 492)
DNA analysis confirmed that 219 One-Toe (aka 492) was identified as the father of 608.
Littermates: 604 Little is one of 608's two littermates
DNA analysis confirmed that 604 Little is the male littermate of 608 and that 604 Little and 608 share the same mother, 236 Milkshake and father, 219 One-Toe
Offspring: Unknown at this time
Genetics Study Samples Obtained:[]
It is not known to us how or when genetics study samples of 608 were obtained or by whom, but we do have the DNA evidenced known relatives listed above in the designated section of this page. Please see the "Known Relatives" section above..
A special thank you to KCanada for the NPS photos from the 2012 Brown Bears of Brooks Camp iBook.
A special thank you to Xander-Sage for creating the gif of NPS photos from the 2012 Brown Bears of Brooks Camp iBook.