Brooks Camp positioned inside Alaska’s Katmai Nationwide Park attracts guests from world wide to get pleasure from world-class fishing and an unparalleled alternative to view wild grizzly bears of their pure habitiat. Upon arriving to Brooks Camp, a bear security orientation is obligatory for guests and that features friends at Brooks Lodge which has been providing on website lodging since 1950.
Bears in Brooks Camp are sometimes given the right-of-way over guests and the Nationwide Park Service rangers that patrol across the lodge are specialists in deterring bears from lingering across the services to keep away from detrimental interactions with guests. Rangers carry bear spray however often robust verbal instructions and easily kicking dust is sufficient to get them to maneuver alongside.
This park ranger has developed a novel method to speak that loitering grizzlies are now not welcome utilizing a easy follow flag on the finish. The mix of the movement and the noise producing from swinging the flagstick round proved ample to get this grizzly bear household to vacate the realm.
Katmai park rangers are extremely educated specialists in the case of coping with grizzly bears and their actions shouldn’t be tried by most of the people. They’ve years of expertise and are conversant in particular person bears and their tolerances towards folks.
Katmai Bear Encounter Security Pointers:
Hike and Journey in Teams
Teams of 4 or extra persons are sometimes very secure in bear nation. Teams of persons are often noisier and smellier than a single particular person. Due to this fact, bears typically grow to be conscious of teams of individuals at higher distances, and due to their cumulative dimension teams of persons are additionally passively intimidating to bears. Climbing and touring in teams is often the easiest way to extend your degree of security in bear nation,
Be Alert
Katmai’s bears are largely diurnal (energetic through the day) however are additionally energetic at evening and might be present in all of Katmai’s habitats. By no means assume you’re in a “bear free” space. Be looking out for indicators of bears and be particularly cautious in areas the place bears might have hassle detecting you. Typically, you may see a bear earlier than it’s conscious of you. In these conditions, again away quietly the identical approach you got here and provides the bear house.
Make Noise
In areas the place visibility is restricted make noise to warn bears of your method. Brown bears can react defensively if they’re stunned. The human voice is the perfect software to warn bears of your method. Bears might not affiliate different noise makers, equivalent to bells, with folks. Please keep in mind that you’re not making noise to scare bears away, solely to warn them of your method. As soon as a bear is conscious of your presence it’s often not essential to make further noise.
Do Not Strategy Bears
It’s best to at all times keep away from interfering with bear motion or foraging actions. If a bear reacts to your presence you’re too shut. Bears are creatures of behavior and habitually use the identical journey routes. Many shut encounters might be prevented for those who transfer out of a bear’s line of journey earlier than it’s shut. Moreover, persons are prohibited from approaching bears inside 50 yards or remaining inside 50 yards of a bear utilizing a concentrated meals supply together with, however not restricted to, animal carcasses, spawning salmon, and different feeding areas.
Steer Away from Locations with Meals that Entice Bears
Salmon streams, mud flats with clams, and sedge meadows are areas that entice bears and consequently individuals who need to watch them. Anglers are additionally interested in streams the place salmon are actively spawning.
Since most individuals go to Katmai to both see bears or fish in streams the place bear encounters are probably, it may be troublesome to remain away from areas with meals that entice bears. Nonetheless, please contemplate fishing when bears aren’t at peak numbers (like on the Brooks River in June and August) and/or viewing bears at a distance, not, for instance, from the center of a sedge meadow or a salmon stream.
