In celebration of our upcoming Alaska brown bear Invitational Photo Tour, I chose one of my all time favorite brown bear images for this month’s Natural Note. I never tire of seeing this quiet moment photographed several years ago near an Alaskan river. I shot it with a 600mm lens, which allowed me to stay a safe distance from the bears, important when working with any type of wildlife.
The Alaskan brown bear is actually a grizzly bear that lives in the coastal regions of southern Alaska. They are less temperamental than grizzlies you’ll find in the lower 48 states or interior Canada due to the vast food sources available in the area.
While the Alaskan brown bear population remains healthy, grizzlies in the lower 48 have been on the endangered species list since 1975. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed to delist the Yellowstone grizzly bear due to recovery while others like the Center for Biological Diversity feel it’s too early.