News Release

No Injuries in Two Minor Bear Incidents

Date: July 26, 2018
Contact: Troy Hamon

Katmai National Park & Preserve, Brooks Camp, Alaska – In the past week at Brooks Camp there have been two minor incidents in which bears made contact with humans. In the first incident, a bear pawed a visitor’s pant leg after approaching the visitor in a curious manner. In the second event, a bear that was being chased by another bear pawed an employee of Katmailand’s Brooks Lodge. Both cases involved young bears and neither resulted in injury. The last known incident in which a bear contacted a visitor was over 20 years ago.

This summer has seen high number of young bears that have recently been separated from their mothers. These young bears, known as subadults, often move at high speeds as they chase each other around the Brooks Camp Developed Area, which leads to surprise interactions. Additionally, these young bears occasionally challenge people as they determine their place in the social hierarchy. The last time the number of subadults was this high was in the mid-2000’s, and since that time visitor numbers have greatly increased, leading to more human-bear interactions than in the past.

While these incidents are extremely rare it is important that everyone visiting Brooks Camp remember that the bears are wild animals. Following the rules and regulations outlined in the bear orientation upon arrival, as well as maintaining situational awareness can help to prevent further issues.