One of the most exciting things to watch when viewing the Alaska Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) in the early fall, is to watch them chase the incoming salmon. As the salmon emerge from the ocean and make their way up the streams and creeks to their home spawning grounds, the brown bears are waiting. As the fish move inland, the bears run around frantically, chasing the salmon as they attempt to circumvent the gauntlet of brown bears that are fishing the streams and creeks. Here are just a few of the many “chase scene” images I made during my 6 days at the Hallo Bay Bear Camp:
Did you see the fish about to be nabbed in the last image? Active fishing is always a lot of fun and photo opps seem never-ending. And when a 500-600 pound bear gets moving in the water, there’s a whole lotta splashin’ going on!