August is a notoriously sleepy time for the bear cams. The salmon run slows on Katmai National Park's Brooks River, so the bears depart for richer feeding grounds nearby. (Don't worry, the ravenous omnivores return in September to gobble salmon carcasses).
But one of the fattest bear cam bears, Bear 480, or "Otis," remains under the view of the live-streamed explore.org bear cams this August, beside the famous Brooks waterfall. Otis is a veteran bear cam bear, though, and has a keen understanding of how to grow profoundly fat in preparation for the deep, callous Alaskan winter. The 22-year-old bear must be onto something, because Otis doesn't usually hang out around the Brooks River in the typically quiet days of August.
"No, Otis has not been a bear we expect to see in August," said Mike Fitz, a former park ranger at Katmai National Park and currently a resident naturalist for explore.org.
This August, Otis has taken up his customary July position in the back of the river, staring interminably into the water for a passing fish. In the past, his consistently stationary approach to fishing has sometimes been described as apathetic, lazy, or dull. In fact, it is unquestionably smart.
"Otis is extremely patient when fishing. I like to describe Otis as a master of energy economics," said Fitz. "He uses his patience and experience to make a huge profit in calories while expending little energy."
Compared to July, there are currently few other bears at the river. A daily park service memo kept by Katmai rangers lists around 16 bears seen in the area on August 13. That may sound like a lot, but not for a river that can teem with some two dozen bears just at the waterfall in July.
Though, this August still has some decent bear activity, and this month piggybacks on 2018's impressive August activity, as well as an uptick in August bear activity in 2017. Perhaps something has changed, and Otis -- a three-time winner of Katmai National Park's "Fat Bear Week" competition -- has a keen understanding of why.
"I like to describe Otis as a master of energy economics."
"Since 2017 though, we've watched a trend toward at least some bears remaining to fish at the river in August," explained Fitz. "Is this the beginning of a longer-term trend? I don't know. I suspect it is a product of the watershed's tremendous salmon runs during the past three years, but I can't discount the possibility that bears have learned to exploit a fishing opportunity that they didn't previously know about."
Indeed, the salmon run has been prodigious this year. This summer, over 2.9 million sockeye salmon -- the bears preferred 4,500 calorie meal -- have swum up the Naknek River, which ultimately feeds the Brooks River. Meanwhile, with over 43.2 million salmon caught according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, this year's sockeye salmon harvest in Bristol Bay (the ultimate source of salmon) became the second largest harvest on-record, surpasssing 2018.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
The abundant salmon run is a testament to the vitality of Alaska's largely untrammeled and undeveloped Bristol Bay region, a place where nature still reaches its full, bountiful potential. The land teems with salmon, bears, wolverines, lynx, and moose. Bristol Bay, however, is an area where the Trump administration is now weighing the unprecedented opening of a gold and copper mine. The mine has been harshly criticized by the local community, ecologists, and legal experts alike.
"It is absolutely preposterous," Joel Reynolds, the western director and a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told Mashable in March.
But Otis isn't thinking about the industrial desires of man this August as he continues to consume great quantities of the hefty fish. Don't be deceived by his tranquil stare.
"He often looks like he's not paying attention when in reality he is extremely focused on the few square feet of water in front of him, ready to pounce on salmon unlucky enough to come within reach," explained Fitz.
"His strategy appears quite successful too," Fitz added. "Otis routinely ranks among the fattest bears on the river."
Topics Animals
