Bears
July 24, 2012 8:04 PM   Subscribe

There is now a live stream of bears gathering to eat salmon at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park.

The stream is funded by the Annenberg Foundation. The cameras are powdered by solar and wind energy, and the feed is uploaded through the T1 connection in King Salmon.

Funder Charles Annenberg Weingarten says: "I think when you watch these brown bears, and the salmon going upstream and you see the beauty of this nature, I think it's going to put a smile on your face and a sense of bewilderment and awe you felt a long time ago when we were all kids."
posted by charmcityblues (95 comments total) 47 users marked this as a favorite
 
This puts the unusual 10 minute wait on line in Starbucks this morning into perspective.
posted by elizardbits at 8:17 PM on July 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


OOH HE CAUGHT A FISHIE
posted by elizardbits at 8:17 PM on July 24, 2012 [8 favorites]


Yep, those sure are some bears. Why are bears so interesting? (I'm not being sarcastic, I'm fascinated by these bears).
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 8:18 PM on July 24, 2012


AAAAAHHHH!

I went into this thinking, "I'm sure it's great, but it's not like it's penguin cam or anything," and here I am now thinking, "oh snap this is so way better than penguin cam."

So there you have it. Bears>penguins. You heard it here first, folks.
posted by phunniemee at 8:24 PM on July 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


This is especially satisfying for me to watch because I have fish fear and clearly these bears can defend me from the horrors of the deep.
posted by elizardbits at 8:25 PM on July 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Don't cross the bear streams!
posted by XMLicious at 8:27 PM on July 24, 2012


I misread that as Katamari National Park and got very excited for a moment at the possibilities.
posted by Egg Shen at 8:28 PM on July 24, 2012 [12 favorites]


Oh my. This is the best thing on the internet ever!
posted by greenhornet at 8:29 PM on July 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


You sorta wonder why salmon haven't evolved the ability to smell the fact that the water they're swimming upstream into has just flowed through the fur of a waiting bear.
posted by George_Spiggott at 8:29 PM on July 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


At the Columbus zoo when it's hot, they stick a whole salmon in a giant ice cube and give it to the bears to tear apart. This looks like a way better deal for the bears.
posted by ChuraChura at 8:29 PM on July 24, 2012


I clicked the link expecting to see the usual wild-cam empty scenery and there were eight bears!
This is fantastic spectator sport, what I need now is a big styrofoam cup of beer - my throat is getting a bit dry from all the"Catchitcatchitcatchiiiiiiiit!! Awww, WHADDAREYA!?"
posted by Catch at 8:30 PM on July 24, 2012 [3 favorites]


What kind of birds are those flying around in an opportunistically lunchy fashion?
posted by elizardbits at 8:31 PM on July 24, 2012


I like the occasional frustrated puppy-can't-have-his-ball look when they keep seeing fish jump just out of reach. One seemed to give this visual sigh and shoulder slump before he moved to the next spot where another bear was seen eating a fish already (so it must be good right?).
posted by DisreputableDog at 8:34 PM on July 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


This is RIVETING.
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 8:34 PM on July 24, 2012


A completely different online video about completely different bears, but they will be gathering to feed in the woods in a week or two...

All that aside, this livestream is pretty awesome, and this is a great post.
posted by hippybear at 8:35 PM on July 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


HOLY SHIT WAIT A MINUTE. The cameras are being moved by someone that is not ME, right? I was wiggling the mouse arrow around trying to point out more fishies to the bears, because lol lol lol &c, and then the scene moved to all of the places I was moving my cursor and now I am tentatively DRUNK WITH POWER.
posted by elizardbits at 8:36 PM on July 24, 2012


Just in time for the seven kittens cam to get boring, now that they're out of the box.

Seeing seven bears in the water fishing is just...simply amazing. Now I know what I'm going to be doing tomorrow instead of anything else productive.
posted by Pocahontas at 8:37 PM on July 24, 2012


This is great. Thanks for posting it.
posted by veggieboy at 8:37 PM on July 24, 2012


okay no i think i am just super high
posted by elizardbits at 8:38 PM on July 24, 2012 [11 favorites]


This is exactly what the aliens are doing to us.
posted by roger ackroyd at 8:38 PM on July 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


...dammit, now I want sushi. Those fuckers look delicious.
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 8:39 PM on July 24, 2012


(also - subtle pun there with the stream of live bears)
posted by ChuraChura at 8:39 PM on July 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


OMG, it's the best thing I've ever seen on the internet! And those bears are hard-core: they don't need no waders.
posted by Pocahontas at 8:40 PM on July 24, 2012


Wow, how many fish can these bear eat?!
For my second or third, and very awkward, post on Metafilter I offered up this, previously (holy shit, 6 years!) but Brooks Falls has more action, and I think too webcams are just better these days.
posted by Flashman at 8:42 PM on July 24, 2012


Still my favourite bear.
posted by Catch at 8:46 PM on July 24, 2012


This is better than America's Next Top Model.
posted by heyho at 9:02 PM on July 24, 2012


I recognize that bear's expression, Catch. You're a kid, you got caught doing something you probably shouldn't be doing and it's kind of embarrassing. You stammer out a "Nothing", then you speed-walk away as fast as possible.

So, seriously, I would get cable to watch a channel that was just various curated cam feeds of animals doing stuff (I went and got a bowl of cereal to enjoy while watching this!). Get on it, content overlords.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 9:05 PM on July 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


I also think it is the best thing on the internet ever, except for one thing and that is dolphins making ring bubbles. But it is a close thing.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 9:07 PM on July 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


http://files.explore.org/files/Brown-Bears-of-Brooks-Camp-ebook.pdf

there is a list of unique bear profiles in this pdf, including which bears have fought and injured each other over food as well as paternity tests determining who gave birth to whom.

a must read while viewing the live feed.

also includes fishing strategies for the various spots on the rapids and where each bear prefers to fish.
posted by striatic at 9:08 PM on July 24, 2012 [3 favorites]


I actually cheered when the cinnamon one at the top left had a salmon JUMP INTO HIS MOUTH. So fun! Well, not for the salmon, I guess.
posted by maudlin at 9:15 PM on July 24, 2012 [5 favorites]


So there you have it. Bears>penguins. You heard it here first, folks.

Objection!
posted by azpenguin at 9:25 PM on July 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Why are bears so interesting? (I'm not being sarcastic, I'm fascinated by these bears).

I can answer that. Animals are God's way of reminding us: "You know, there are alternatives."
posted by JHarris at 9:34 PM on July 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


This is fascinating. I'd like to apply for the bearcam operator job.
posted by dual_action at 9:39 PM on July 24, 2012


That was super entertaining.

I got to watch a whole group of bears waiting at the top of a small waterfall as salmon flung themselves at the top of the waterfall. The bears would watch, and try to catch them. Eventually one bear was able to catch a faith after it landed at the top of the waterfall. Then the bear moved away a bit to eat, and the camera operator followed it. Yum. Tasty salmon! and the camera operator is doing a nice job.
posted by leahwrenn at 9:41 PM on July 24, 2012


This is better than America's Next Top Model.

Don't damn it with faint praise.
posted by JHarris at 9:50 PM on July 24, 2012 [4 favorites]


So, seriously, I would get cable to watch a channel that was just various curated cam feeds of animals doing stuff (I went and got a bowl of cereal to enjoy while watching this!). Get on it, content overlords.

Wish long since granted, and you don't need Cable. Though you gotta be at least fairly up to date in your consumer electronics. There's a bunch of this sort of thing on UStream.tv, which is pretty much built in as an app in most network-enabled TVs (Viera, etc.) and streaming boxes like Roku and Boxee and so forth.
posted by George_Spiggott at 9:58 PM on July 24, 2012


Aw, I wasn't damning it with faint praise. I wasn't expecting to find it as addictive as I did.
posted by heyho at 10:01 PM on July 24, 2012


Holy shit, that bear just caught a jumping salmon right in its mouth

good job, bear!
posted by dismas at 10:06 PM on July 24, 2012


Super duper awesome. I just squealed "He caught a fish in his mouth!" Mind you, I'm a dude in my 40s, so I rarely squeal at anything anymore.
posted by Lukenlogs at 10:08 PM on July 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


Mind you, I'm a dude in my 40s, so I rarely squeal at anything anymore.

something something my previous comment something something make you squeal
posted by hippybear at 10:12 PM on July 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Hey, I had salmon for dinner tonight, too! It was a lot easier for me, though.
posted by lunasol at 10:27 PM on July 24, 2012


Bears have scary eyes.
posted by Chutzler at 10:39 PM on July 24, 2012


This is fantastic. Go bears!
posted by rtha at 10:54 PM on July 24, 2012


I LOVE this! What is less clear to me is why I instinctively root for the bears. I mean, they're totally screwing with the salmon's mojo. Yet...I cheer every time one of them catches a hapless fish.
posted by artemisia at 11:59 PM on July 24, 2012


So I'm bored at work and I just finished watching "The Bear," and then I come to Metafilter and this. AWESOME.
posted by XhaustedProphet at 12:07 AM on July 25, 2012


At the river mouth, the bears catch only the tastiest, most tender salmon.
posted by ChrisR at 12:07 AM on July 25, 2012


So. Addictive.

Although I may have had a minor freak out when a particularly juicy looking salmon jumped up the falls riiiiiiight in front of the waiting jaws of a bear...

...and the video froze. Noooooooooooooooooo.

When I got it started again, I was relieved to see the bear still perched precariously above the falls, peering down at his potential lunch. Phew. Because after watching the bear make about a dozen snapping tries to catch a fish, I assumed it would happen when I wasn't looking. But no! I got to see him nomnom that wriggly pink fish after all. And now he's back for seconds. I guess he's found the sweet spot for fish-catching.

(Although, I find I also get ridiculously pleased when a salmon manages to finally jump up the falls without being eaten.)
posted by paisley sheep at 12:10 AM on July 25, 2012 [1 favorite]


This is the bear equivalent of sitting in a hot tub with a margarita. (Now I want to try to catch a margarita in a hot tub.)
posted by WaspEnterprises at 12:48 AM on July 25, 2012


Aaaaw, Goodnight Bears.
(ღ˘⌣˘ღ)
posted by Catch at 1:44 AM on July 25, 2012


Good morning, bears!
posted by chronkite at 4:55 AM on July 25, 2012


WAKE UP LAZY BEARS
posted by elizardbits at 5:22 AM on July 25, 2012


Note: the best viewing hours are 6am - 11pm AKST, or 10am - 3am EST.
posted by charmcityblues at 5:26 AM on July 25, 2012


Note: the best viewing hours are 6am - 11pm AKST, or 10am - 3am EST.

Unless you're cheering for the fish. No bears right now, but fish doing their damnedest to get up that waterfall.
posted by inigo2 at 5:58 AM on July 25, 2012


The bear I'm watching right now just seems fascinated by the beauty of it all.
posted by spamguy at 6:10 AM on July 25, 2012


So fun! Well, not for the salmon, I guess.

Well considering that the salmon are trying to flop themselves to death up miles of gravel so they can lay eggs, maybe a quick death due to bear isn't so bad after all... Sucks to be a salmon!
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 6:17 AM on July 25, 2012


He/she finally got one. That early riser was looking cold and lazy.
posted by BigSky at 6:18 AM on July 25, 2012


That little cub on top of the falls caught one! I crowed like a proud momma bear: Get it! Get the fishie!
posted by mochapickle at 6:55 AM on July 25, 2012


I'm not going to get any work done today.
posted by COD at 7:05 AM on July 25, 2012


In theory it sounds pretty rad to wait around while your food comes to you but in practice I think I would be super freaked out if tacos were running around on crunchy little legs and throwing themselves into my mouth.
posted by elizardbits at 7:06 AM on July 25, 2012 [3 favorites]


I think I would be super freaked out if tacos were running around on crunchy little legs and throwing themselves into my mouth.

I have read many of your food-related comments. I think you are lying.
posted by maudlin at 7:29 AM on July 25, 2012 [4 favorites]


This is totally fascinating. I notice a lot of the bears seem to be standing in the river facing upstream - are they waiting for salmon to swim past them, and napping them from behind? It seems counterintuitive to me, I would have thought I'd want to see the salmon coming.
posted by antifuse at 7:30 AM on July 25, 2012


hdu
posted by elizardbits at 7:30 AM on July 25, 2012


(but I freely admit I am not a bear, nor a salmon fisherman, so my intuition doesn't necessarily mean anything in this respect)
posted by antifuse at 7:32 AM on July 25, 2012


hdu

I was projecting. I beg your forgiveness. I am a bad person because every day, I dream of the pitter patter of little taco feet around the house.
posted by maudlin at 7:36 AM on July 25, 2012 [2 favorites]


i can't decide if they would be biped or quadruped
posted by elizardbits at 7:38 AM on July 25, 2012


Bear 1: You think this is the right spot?
Bear 2: Dude, I've seen Mom and Dad do this a million times, right here.
Bear 1: My legs are so cold! shivers, shakes water off fur, looks down plaintively as several fish jump up then disappear, out of reach.
Bear 2: Yeah, just dip your head in, then the rest of your body will get used to it. submerges self in river, disappears from webcam. The occasional salmon flies up from the river, then splashes back down.
Bear 1: There so aren't any fish in this river. looks around hungrily
Me: I don't seem to be able...to depart. Such is life.

Seriously, who's working on the supercut?
posted by obscurator at 7:39 AM on July 25, 2012


s/napping/nabbing above, as well.

i can't decide if they would be biped or quadruped

It depends - if they're intelligent, with little googly eyes and a smiley face, then biped. I think I would be more comfortable eating the quadruped variety, thinking of them more like little mexican crunchy cows.
posted by antifuse at 7:39 AM on July 25, 2012


A LIVING RIVER OF BEARS??
posted by cmoj at 8:03 AM on July 25, 2012


These bears seem like they would be good at hugging. I do not plan to test this theory, however.
posted by elizardbits at 8:07 AM on July 25, 2012


My new favourite thing is when a bear is looking in one direction and a salmon leaps out from the other and just hits him right in his startled bearface. OH THE BEWILDERMENT.
posted by elizardbits at 8:55 AM on July 25, 2012 [1 favorite]


Also I feel very strongly that there should be many more fat adorable cubs.
posted by elizardbits at 8:55 AM on July 25, 2012


I'm just hoping to see somebody testing out a bear suit
posted by Flashman at 9:17 AM on July 25, 2012 [7 favorites]


WHAT'S WITH THE BEAR IN THE FRONT!
all these salmon are going past it in the back and it's just standing there not moving. is it stoned?!?!?
posted by liza at 10:16 AM on July 25, 2012


The sense of triumph-by-proxy I get whenever this bear nabs a fish is totally intoxicating. I'm all like, "YEAH THAT'S RIGHT" and then I remember the last wild thing I caught was a hapless tomato as it fell off the vine while I was watering.
posted by WidgetAlley at 10:25 AM on July 25, 2012 [1 favorite]


here is a tiny bear being tiny and adorable and also biting a dude on his butt.
posted by elizardbits at 11:02 AM on July 25, 2012 [2 favorites]


This one bear I'm watching right now is a complete failure at fish-catching. I'm pretty sure I could do better. Now he/she's giving the camera a mournful look.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 11:24 AM on July 25, 2012


Bewilder-a-bear!
posted by rtha at 11:26 AM on July 25, 2012


Must be midday nap time. Do they feed certain times of day more than others?
posted by yoga at 11:50 AM on July 25, 2012


If history serves, this footage will end up as a "Threat Down" segment the the Colbert Report.
posted by obscurator at 11:51 AM on July 25, 2012 [1 favorite]


Is anyone else watching right now? I just tuned in to see the camera focus in on a bloody flopping fish on the cement...thing to the left of the waterfall. What happened there?
posted by troika at 11:56 AM on July 25, 2012


Just watchin a bear sitting in the water, tearing apart a salmon, while seagulls (I think?) are fighting each other downstream for whatever tasty bits the bear lets fall into the water. That bear has the LIFE, I tell ya.
posted by antifuse at 12:23 PM on July 25, 2012


1 salmon, 2 salmon, 3 salmon...
posted by homunculus at 2:00 PM on July 25, 2012


10 bears standing in the river. 1 bear climbs in from the shore. That makes 11 bears hunting salmon. Wonderful! But wait...there's more.
posted by unknowncommand at 9:25 PM on July 25, 2012


Egg Shen: "Katamari"

So did I Egg Shen, so did I.
posted by IndigoRain at 7:20 AM on July 26, 2012


Ruidoso Bear Rescue Mission
posted by homunculus at 10:08 AM on July 26, 2012


OH GOD NO WHY IS BAD GATEWAY GIVE ME BACK MY BEARS
posted by elizardbits at 11:51 AM on July 26, 2012 [2 favorites]


elizardbits, I had the same freakout.
posted by whimsicalnymph at 11:55 AM on July 26, 2012


Is it me, or are there way fewer fish jumping up the falls than there were a few days ago when this was posted?
posted by fancyoats at 11:09 AM on July 27, 2012


The bears also seem a bit chubbier and definitely more prone to midday naps. CIIIRCLE OF LIIIIIFE.
posted by elizardbits at 12:27 PM on July 27, 2012


This really doesn't get old.
posted by heyho at 5:22 PM on August 3, 2012


BEAR! BEAR! BEAR!
posted by Flashman at 5:27 PM on August 3, 2012


13 Bears And Marijuana
posted by homunculus at 9:32 AM on August 5, 2012


two weeks later and this is still super awesome.
posted by elizardbits at 11:22 AM on August 10, 2012


Hmm. Seems the bears are on hiatus for a couple weeks.
posted by heyho at 2:25 PM on August 14, 2012




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