Watch bear belly flop into Alaska river in pursuit of salmon dinner. ‘Never gets old’


U.S. Department of the Interior
45
Brooke Baitinger
Wed, June 21, 2023 at 4:46 PM MDT·3 min read

It’s bear-lovers’ favorite time of year again — at least outside of Fat Bear Week.

The National Park Service’s Explore camera is back on and pointed at bears feasting on sockeye salmon in Alaska.

The camera captured a hungry brown bear belly flopping from a waterfall into the river below in Katmai National Park and Preserve in pursuit of a salmon dinner.

“Bear belly flop!” the U.S. Department of the Interior posted on its social media platforms, adding that the BearCam is back for the season. “Every year, they congregate to feast on sockeye salmon in the Brooks River.”

“You can’t tell me he or she didn’t enjoy that,” someone commented on Twitter.

“Never gets old!” someone else said.

On Instagram, people praised the bear’s form.

“If you don’t give that a 10/10 I don’t want to be friends,” someone wrote.

“An 11 for form and extra point for jumping into ice cold water,” another suggested.

“The greatest flop ever captured in all of Katmai!” someone agreed.

The area of the park gets a healthy salmon run this time of year, attracting bears hoping to feed on the nutrient-rich fish as they migrate upriver, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

In March, a couple visiting the park encountered a bear while hiking and said they had learned from “bear school” with a park ranger that the bears don’t have much interest in humans because of their healthy diet of salmon, McClatchy News previously reported.

The hiker explained that different bear populations might act differently during certain times of the year.
What to do during a bear encounter

Bear attacks in the U.S. are rare, according to the National Park Service. In most attacks, bears are trying to defend their food, cubs or space.

There are steps people can take to help prevent a bear encounter from becoming a bear attack.

Identify yourself: Talk calmly and slowly wave your arms. This can help the bear realize you’re a human and nonthreatening.

Stay calm: Bears usually don’t want to attack; they want to be left alone. Talk slowly and with a low voice to the bear.


Don’t scream: Screaming could trigger an attack.


Pick up small children: Don’t let kids run away from the bear. It could think they’re small prey.


Hike in groups: A group is noisier and smellier, the National Park Service said. Bears like to keep their distance from groups of people.


Make yourself look big: Move to higher ground and stand tall. Don’t make any sudden movements.


Don’t drop your bag: A bag on your back can keep a bear from accessing food, and it can provide protection.


Walk away slowly: Move sideways so you appear less threatening to the bear. This also lets you keep an eye out.


Again, don’t run: Bears will chase you, just like a dog would.


Don’t climb trees: Grizzlies and black bears can also climb.