Get ready for Bearcam! The salmon are poised to return and the brown bears are hungry. Our upcoming live events explore the world of brown bears and salmon at Brooks River in Katmai National Park, one of the greatest wildlife watching locations in North America. And, don’t forget to watch the bears every day on explore.org.
Live Chats
Join park rangers and other experts for in-depth conversations about brown bears and salmon. Find these events on the Brooks Live Chat channel. And, if you miss any of our live chats, you can find the replays on our YouTube channel.
- Brown Bear Mating Season: June 23 at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific
It might include long walks on a beach, but there are definitely no serenades. Courtship is a conspicuous part of the bear world in late spring and early summer, but it’s also a time of competition and persistence. Join Katmai National Park ranger Naomi Boak and explore.org resident naturalist Mike Fitz as they discuss bear courtship and the brown bear mating season.
- New Technology and Bears: June 30 at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific
New technology offers to the opportunity to observe and understand bears better than ever before. Learn about the ways in which the National Park Service is experimenting with laser scanning technology to measure the size and volume of bears, and how the BearID Project uses facial recognition software to develop a novel way to track individual bears.
- Fishing Like a Bear: July 2 at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific
For brown bears at Brooks River, fishing is an essential skill, but like many aspects of the bear world, there is no one best way to make a living. The variety of fishing techniques used by bears at Brooks River demonstrates their skill, individuality, and adaptability. Join explore.org’s resident naturalist Mike Fitz and Ranger Lian Law from Katmai National Park they talk about the bears’ deceivingly difficult task of fishing for salmon at Brooks River.
- Hierarchy and Dominance in Brown Bears: July 7 at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific
“I said move aside. This is my turf.” Living within a hierarchy helps brown bears survive a competitive world. Learn how bears establish dominance and fit into their hierarchy during this live chat with explore.org’s resident naturalist Mike Fitz and Katmai National Park ranger Naomi Boak.
- The Teenage Life of a Brown Bear: July 14 at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific
Young, small, and often alone, a subadult bear spans the boundaries between cub and adult. Join Ranger Naomi Boak and explore.org’s resident naturalist Mike Fitz as they discuss the world of the teenage bear. A subadult bear’s journey is one of exploration and challenge as it establishes its place within bear society.
- Resiliency of Bears: July 21 at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific
Broken bones, wounds, infection, illness, and pain–bears experience a wide range of ailments and injury through their lives. Join explore.org’s resident naturalist Mike Fitz and Ranger Naomi Boak from Katmai National Park as they discuss the ability of bears remain resilient in a wild and often unforgiving environment.
- Bear Motherhood and the Life of Cubs: July 28 at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific
As any parent knows, raising children is challenging. The same is true for brown bears. When we watch bear families, we witness the maternal devotion and instinct necessary to raise cubs. Learn about bear motherhood and family life in this live chat with explore.org’s resident naturalist Mike Fitz and Katmai National Park rangers Naomi Boak and Lian Law.
- Bears and Humans at Brooks River, Past and Present: TBD
A recently built bridge over Brooks River is only the most recent development in a long-running relationship between humans and bears on Brooks River. Join Katmai National Park ranger Lian Law and special guests for a discussion about human-bear interactions at Brooks Camp.
Play-by-Plays
A favorite of rangers and bearcam fans alike, play-by-plays are live events when rangers and other experts narrate the bear and salmon activity at Brooks River. It’s an opportunity to learn more about the individual bears on the cams and how they survive. Find these events on the Brooks Live Chat channel. You never know what might happen!
- July 3 at 10 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Pacific
- July 4 at 10 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Pacific
- July 6 at 10 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Pacific
- July 8 at 10 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Pacific
- July 10 at 10 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Pacific
- July 11 at 10 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Pacific
- July 13 at 10 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Pacific
- July 19 at 10 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Pacific
- July 26 at 1 p.m. Eastern / 10 a.m. Pacific
- July 30 with time to be determined
Live Q&As
Chat in the comments with Mike Fitz, explore.org’s resident naturalist, and rangers from Katmai National Park during our weekly Q&As. Bring your questions about bears, salmon, and Katmai.
- Beginning June 15, every Tuesday from 5 – 7 p.m. Eastern / 2 – 4 p.m. Pacific in the comments on the Brooks Live Chat channel.
- YouTube Q&As: Beginning June 24, every Thursday from 2 – 3 p.m. Eastern / 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Pacific in the comments on the Brooks Falls YouTube page.
- Tiktok Q&As: Find these on the explore.org Tiktok channel.
- June 28 at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific
- July 7 at 3 p.m. Eastern / 11 a.m. Pacific
- July 9 at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific
- July 14 at 3 p.m. Eastern / 11 a.m. Pacific
- July 21 at 3 p.m. Eastern / 11 a.m. Pacific
- July 28 at 3 p.m. Eastern / 11 a.m. Pacific
Ask Your Bearcam Question
Did you see something on the bearcams you’re curious about? Or, would you like to submit a question in advance for our live events? Ask it here. Rangers and expert staff may answer your question in a live chat, in the bearcam comments, or in a blog post.
