Welcome to the second peak season on the bearcams in Katmai National Park Alaska. Throughout September and early October, Ranger Naomi and explore.org’s resident naturalist Mike Fitz will host many live events exploring the world of bears and salmon. All events listed below, except the Reddit AMA, can be found on the Brooks Live Chat Channel.
Bear Genetics at Brooks River
Monday, September 9 at 11 a.m. Pacific (2 p.m. Eastern)
Over the past several years Michael Saxton, NPS ranger and PhD candidate at Washington State University, has been collecting DNA samples from Brooks River’s bears. He joins Ranger Naomi Boak to explain his research, methodology, and provide an update on his current analysis of the data.
Salmon: Katmai’s Keystone
Friday, September 20 at 11 a.m. Pacific (2 p.m. Eastern)
Salmon lead uncommon lives that have extraordinary consequences for the places they inhabit. Perhaps nowhere is this truer than Katmai National Park where millions of sockeye salmon return each year and impact every strand of the food web. Join Mike Fitz as he discusses the ecology of Pacific salmon. They might be cold and slimy, but salmon are also essential.
Tech of the Bearcam
Friday, September 27 at 11 a.m. Pacific (2 p.m. Eastern)
Many of explore.org’s cameras broadcast from remote areas where their installation and maintenance can be difficult to say the least. The bearcams at Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska pose a particularly unique set of challenges. Join Mike Fitz as he talks the tech of the bearcams with Candice Rusch, explore.org’s Director of New Media, and Joe Pifer, Field Operations Manager.
Fat Bear Week 2019
Wednesday, October 2 at 11 a.m. Pacific (2 p.m. Eastern)
Bears get fat to survive and Fat Bear Week is a celebration their ample proportions. Mike Fitz and Ranger Naomi introduce the “contestants” in this year’s Fat Bear Week tournament. Tune in to the chat to learn more about the bears’ life stories and how you can vote for the fattest bear in the land.
Fat Bear Week Reddit AMA
Friday, October 4 at 2 p.m. Pacific (5 p.m. Eastern)
Join Mike Fitz for a Fat Bear Week AMA on Reddit, an opportunity to ask Mike anything about brown bears and salmon. https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/
Fat Bear Tuesday
Tuesday, October 8 at 11 a.m. Pacific (2 p.m. Eastern)
The merely chubby bears have been winnowed away and two giants remain standing in Fat Bear Week. On this Fat Bear Tuesday, who will be crowed Fat Bear Week champion? Explore the lives of the two final contestants and the importance fat to brown bears with Mike Fitz and Ranger Naomi.
Binge-watching Bears: Inspiring Stewardship through Webcams
Thursday, October 17 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific (4:30 p.m. Eastern)
National parks are consistently among America’s most popular and revered landscapes. However, not everyone has the time, fitness, and money to visit parks. How can we make these places accessible to more people without compromising the wildlife and significances of national parks? Join Mike Fitz for this talk live from Ranger Rendezvous, the annual conference of the Association of National Park Rangers. Learn about how webcams and online interpretation offer a meaningful way to inspire stewardship for wildlife and protected areas.
Welcome to Polar Bear Cam
Tuesday, October 22 at 11 a.m. Pacific (2 p.m. Eastern)
While brown and black bears head to their dens and begin to hibernate for the winter, polar bears are just about to enter their season of plenty. Mike Fitz and Polar Bear International’s Director of Field Operations BJ Kirschhoffer will discuss the lives of polar bears, their habitat, and how you can enjoy watching them this fall on explore.org.
Bearcam Play-By-Plays
Play-by-plays are live events when rangers and other resource experts narrate the bear and salmon activity they see at Brooks River. It’s an opportunity to learn more about the individual bears on the cams and how they survive in competitive world. You never know what might happen!
Sunday, September 8 at 2 p.m. Pacific (5 p.m. Eastern)
Friday, September 13 at 4 p.m. Pacific (7 p.m. Eastern)
Sunday, September 15 at 2 p.m. Pacific (5 p.m. Eastern)
Sunday, September 22 at 2 p.m. Pacific (5 p.m. Eastern)
Sunday, September 29 at 2 p.m. Pacific (5 p.m. Eastern)
Thursday, October 3 at 4 p.m. Pacific (7 p.m. Eastern)
Bearcam Text Chats
Join the real-team discussion with Mike Fitz and Ranger Naomi as they answer your questions in the comments on the Brooks Live Chat Channel.
Thursday, September 12 from 2 – 4 p.m. Pacific (5 – 7 p.m. Eastern)
Thursday, September 19 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Pacific (1 – 3 p.m. Eastern)
What’s Your Bearcam Question?
Did you see something on the bearcams you’re curious about? Ask it here anytime you have the opportunity! Rangers and expert staff will try to answer your question in a live chat, in the bearcam comments, or in a blog post.
