Watch giant brown bears catching salmon on the Katmai bear cam

With travel restrictions still in place in many countries in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are turning to virtual experiences to catch wonderful events that we're missing in person. Which is why it's great news that the Katmai National Park bear cam is back for the season.

The park in Alaska is a critical habitat for brown bears and salmon and provides the opportunity to explore dynamic arctic ecosystems. It is home to around 2200 brown bears, and Brooks Falls is a great place to watch bears feasting on sockeye salmon as they swim upstream to spawn.

These nine wildlife web cams offer access to your favorite animals

The live feed gets really active in late June and July, as the bears are hungry and their mating season is near its peak, so it's a marvellous time to watch them in action. As the salmon leap up the falls, the bears compete with each other for the best fishing spots. The largest and most successful bears can catch and eat more than 30 salmon per day.

The bear cam is online 24 hours per day, and watchers should keep an eye out for bald eagles, gulls, and even the occasional wolf partaking in the salmon buffet. It also enbles visitors to rank their favorite chubby bears as they gain weight to prepare for the winter season, as the park runs a yearly “fat bear contest.” Last year, a new permanent bridge was built along with elevated approach boardwalks over Brooks River, to make getting a glimpse of the fabulous animals safer for visitors to the park and bears too.

For further information, please visit Explore's brown bear webcam here.

Lockdowns are easing globally as the planet adjusts to a new normal. Find out how COVID-19 is changing travel.

You might also like:

Visit the UK's biggest landmarks from the comfort of your sofa
Take a virtual vacation to these 6 destinations