A brown bear chases down and pounces on a salmon in katmai national park in alaska

Dash and Grab

Alaska, USA

Millions of sockeye salmon return from the Pacific Ocean to the Bristol Bay watershed in Alaska every summer. Brown bears begin to congregate as soon as the salmon arrive.

The brown bears in Katmai National Park and Preserve are some of the largest in the world. According to the park service, they can stand 3-5 feet (.9-1.5 m) at the shoulder and measure 7-10 feet (2.1-3 m) in length. Most adult males weigh 600-900 pounds (272-408 kg) in mid-summer, but can grow to as large as 1000 pounds (454 kg). Adult females average about 1/3 less in weight.

Bears can run up to 35 mph. Moving that much mass that quickly requires large amounts of energy. Brown bears have been known to eat up to 40 salmon per day. Rich in fat and protein, each 5 lb sockeye can contain up to 3800 calories. Though they may expend a great deal of energy repetitively chasing down salmon, they are generally able to gain 200-300 pounds in the summer.

Watching them hunt using the dynamic “dash-and-grab” method is nothing short of amazing. The incredible fitness, power, and athleticism is astounding to witness at close range. Focusing on this bear as it chased down a salmon, it grew larger rather quickly, closing down the distance in seconds.

Photo © copyright by Dr. Edward Mikol.

 « Wildlife  « North American Wildlife  « Brown Bears 

Photo Prints

Dash and Grab print
Select a print size:

Metal Prints

Dash and Grab print
Select a print size:

Canvas Prints

Dash and Grab print
Select a print size:

Acrylic Prints

Dash and Grab print
Select a print size:
Email Dr. Edward Mikol about this photo
Related Galleries: Assortment