I am glad this big guy / gal didn’t have eyes for me – although it sure looks like it did!
This is actually a common technique used by bears to get a better look at something. While movies and TV shows always seem to show bears standing as a sign of aggression, that actually is not why they do it.
Bears have eyesight similar to humans and sometimes it helps to just get a higher view – and that is why they stand up. In this case, the bear stood up to better spot the salmon in the river.
Don’t get me wrong, it was intimidating for sure to see this massive creature, much taller than my 6’ 1” frame, pop up and seem to look right at me. But, it worked like a charm for it as it then bounded into the water and caught itself a nice meal.
Alaska’s coastal brown bears are the second largest of the various brown bear subspecies. Much of their size is attributed to their rich diet of clams, grass and of course salmon.
Male coastal brown bears routinely weigh close to 1000 pounds, will be eight feet long and have a shoulder height up to five feet tall. Females weigh around 500 pounds and will be about four feet tall at the shoulder.
Taken in Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
