Bears of Katmai

an adult brown bear rests by a coastline while two cubs lay on top of it.
Katmai National Park & Preserve protects world-class habitat for brown bears.

NPS Photo / R. Taylor

 

Katmai's Brown Bears: An Iconic Species

Brown bears are one of the most recognizable and charismatic species of Katmai National Park & Preserve. Bears are able to thrive in Katmai as part of an interconnected ecosystem which includes salmon, a keystone species that are vitally important to a bear's diet. Check out the webpages below to vote in the annual Fat Bear Week competition, watch webcams of bears, explore educational resources as a teacher, or simply learn more about these magnificent creatures.
 
around 15 brown bears gather at a roughly 5-foot waterfall in a river.
Bear Webcams

See the bears of Katmai live through explore.org webcams.

a colorful illustration of bears with salmon by a waterfall. Text reads: Fat Bear Week 2025.
Fat Bear Week 2025: COMING SOON!

Vote for your favorite fat bears on explore.org!

an extremely fat, light brown bear moves toward a river.
Fat Bear Week Hall of Fame

Meet the champions of Fat Bear Weeks past.

a brown bear stands in the middle of a steam looking head-on as it lightly rains.
Coastal Brown Bears

Katmai's spectacular coastline is home to many brown bears.

a brown bear standing in rushing water opens its mouth to catch one of two salmon leaping upstream.
Brooks River Bears

Brooks River is a natural feature that provides excellent fishing for Katmai's brown bears.

an adult brown bear swims through water with two cubs on its back.
Fat Bear Week in the Classroom

Bring youth along for the ride and use Fat Bear Week as an educational springboard.

a brown bear splashes into water filled with bright red salmon while fishing.
An Intact Ecosystem

Katmai's brown bears are just one part of its rich ecosystem filled with many other fascinating species.

 

Learn More about Katmai's Bears

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    Tags: bears

    Last updated: September 10, 2025

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