• Sunset view of Glacier Bay and the surrounding Fairweather Mountains.

    Glacier Bay

    National Park & Preserve Alaska

Bear Distribution and Genetics

brown bear and cubs
Brown bears in Queen Inlet
 

Black and Brown Bear Distribution
Park researchers are currently analyzing data from a 2-year project to determine the distribution of brown and black bears in the park. Bear species presence at selected shoreline study sites was determined by visual observations, tracks, or genetic identification of bear hair. Occupancy models will be used to find habitat and landscape associations for each species. 

 
Bear safety poster for Gustavus residents.

Preliminarily, black bears appear to be most closely associated with forest cover while brown bears have been documented in every part of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and appear to be increasing their range. In fact, 2010 was the first time in over 50 years when brown bears were repeatedly sighted along the Bartlett River, in Bartlett Cove, and Gustavus. 

The GLBA bear team spent much of last summer monitoring brown bear activity and educating locals and visitors on how to live safely in brown bear country. One major behavioral difference between the two species is that brown bears may charge or even attack when surprised or defending cubs or a carcass. It is vital for park visitors and community members to minimize bear attractants in town, and important for everyone to make noise and pay attention while hiking or berry picking. 

 

Brown Bear Landscape Genetic Study
Researchers are also working on landscape genetics analysis of brown bears in Glacier Bay National Park. The goal is to determine the genetic relatedness of brown bears along the shoreline of the park and the level of mixing that occurs between different geographic areas such as the outer coast and Glacier Bay. The key to this analysis is bear hair, so the bear team spent a good portion of the last two summers crawling along bear trails in Glacier Bay, Dundas Bay, Excursion Inlet and the outer coast.

 
Do Bears Shed in the Woods?

Do Bears Shed in the Woods?
How to collect bear hair for genetic analysis
PDF poster presentation

 
Annual bear report for Glacier Bay

Read the latest annual bear report

2010 Bear Program Report
"The Year of the Brown Bear"

Did You Know?

Ice

In 1899, an earthquake measuring 8.4 on the Richter Scale so shook the glaciers in Glacier Bay, the budding tourism industry nearly died.  There was so much ice in the water from the shattered glaciers, visitors to Glacier Bay did not return to for over ten years.