Bear Etiquette in Katmai

Bear Etiquette in Katmai

•Problem: impacts to wildlife; crowding•Management Strategies: harden the resource; increase supply; reduce the impact of use; limit use

•Management Practices: facility development/ site design/maintenance; rules and regulations; information/ education; rationing/ allocation

•Katmai National Monument - 1918•Katmai National Park and Preserve - 1980

•ANILCA•“Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes”•4.7 million acres•Brooks River area •National Historic Landmark•Culturally significant for more than 4,000 years

Bear Etiquette in Katmai

•Brooks Camp established in the 1950s•Developed campground, ranger station, visitor center, auditorium, concessionaire lodge, fish freezing building, elevated boardwalks and viewing platforms

•10,000 to 15,000 visitors annually•Early June through mid September•Best bear viewing in July and September

Bear Etiquette in Katmai

•Challenge of having so many visitors and bears in a small area

•Two original elevated viewing platforms•Frequently crowded•Visitor/bear trail sharing issue•Addition of two new viewing platforms, an elevated boardwalk and covered staging platform

•Maximum of 40 visitors on the Falls Platform

•Viewing time limited to one hour

Bear Etiquette in Katmai

•Webcam installed at Falls Platform in 2009

•Improvements to webcam scheduled for 2012

•“Bear Etiquette” training course at visitor center

•Food and drink are prohibited outside of buildings and designated picnic areas

•Pets are prohibited•Gear must be carried at all times•Visitors must remain 50 yards from bears

Bear Etiquette in Katmai

•Campers must store food and garbage in a central cache and spend evenings within an electric fence

•Anglers must remove or cut line, and move away slowly when bears approach

•Fish kept by anglers must be immediately frozen

•Wildlife photographers encouraged to follow ethical guidelines of North American Nature Photography Association

•On-going study and monitoring

Bear Etiquette in Katmai

Katmai National Park and Preserve

•Katmai National Park – The Bears (11:00)

•Bear Viewing platform (0:30)•Bear safety in Katmai•Shocking Bears: Electric Fences for Bear-Country Campers

Bear Etiquette in Katmai