Live streamed stream

August 8, 2018 1:13 PM

Right now: A live video feed of bears trying to catch fish (and occasionally fighting each other or snapping at gulls) at Brooks Falls, Katmai National Park, Alaska.

The only sound is the ambient of water flowing over the falls, so for some people this might be a nice sleep aid too.

posted by ardgedee (46 comments total)

Sometimes when a bear catches a salmon the camera zooms in on the dismemberment; fair warning if you're squeamish.
posted by ardgedee at 1:19 PM on August 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

Are those people downstream?? PEOPLE THERE ARE BEARS THERE WHAT ARE YOU DOING??
posted by cooker girl at 1:21 PM on August 8, 2018

omg I got really really frustrated by something earlier and then took some of my *ahem* anxiety medicine to calm down. that video is the most calming thing I have encountered in forever.

thank you.
posted by supermedusa at 1:37 PM on August 8, 2018

I love that seagull just standing there, hanging out.

I especially love that partway through watching, he left, only to be immediately replaced by a different seagull.

There must always be a seagull on the rock.
posted by brook horse at 1:43 PM on August 8, 2018 [4 favorites]

Eh, people aren't anywhere near as tasty as delicious, delicious fatty salmon. Sometimes the bears will just hang out with people, watchin' the fish go by.
posted by tavella at 1:47 PM on August 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

The gubmint cannot spend too much money on stuff like this, as far as I'm concerned.

Hi, bears! You getting take out?
posted by Capt. Renault at 1:49 PM on August 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

Sometimes the bears will just hang out with people, watchin' the fish go by.


How does that video not end with Werner Herzog listening to a tape recording?
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:53 PM on August 8, 2018 [6 favorites]

Bear Channel > Gorilla Channel.
posted by Capt. Renault at 1:53 PM on August 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

This is really cool. My kids and I are having fun watching it. Thanks for posting.
posted by 4ster at 1:54 PM on August 8, 2018

There must always be a seagull on the rock.

Shift change.
posted by notyou at 1:55 PM on August 8, 2018 [7 favorites]

The Riffles cam is also worth checking out: The "riffles" area of Brooks River in Alaska's Katmai National Park is just 100 yards downstream from Brooks Falls--and it's a favorite spot of mama bears, their cubs, and young sub-adult bears.
posted by peeedro at 2:01 PM on August 8, 2018

Bearsbearsbearsbearsbears
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 2:12 PM on August 8, 2018

I've had this on a tv on my desk all afternoon (yes, I have a tv on my desk at work.)

There's two bears wrestling in the river currently. And two just standing stone still, waiting for fish.

It's compelling tv.
posted by GuyZero at 2:13 PM on August 8, 2018

I had a realization while camping recently (there were no bears present)

I think of all animals bears may have the greatest

cute baby : terrifying adult

ratio in the world. (esp baby polar bears, squeeeeeeee)
posted by supermedusa at 2:34 PM on August 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

BEAR CAM BEAR CAM BEAR CAM best part of the summer
posted by poffin boffin at 2:38 PM on August 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

I think of all animals bears may have the greatest

cute baby : terrifying adult

ratio in the world. (esp baby polar bears, squeeeeeeee)

For the reverse, see "Owls".
posted by The Bellman at 2:48 PM on August 8, 2018 [3 favorites]

The New Yorker has an article about the Bear Cam. I especially like this bit:

In Washington, D.C., in June, a luncheon for Republican lawmakers hosted by Senator Dan Sullivan, of Alaska, featured two big screens playing the feed from Katmai. Senator Lisa Murkowski told Alaska Public Media that the bears stole the show, with legislators turning away from other conversations to cheer on the fishing bears with cries of, “There! He got it! He got it!”
posted by ALeaflikeStructure at 2:53 PM on August 8, 2018 [2 favorites]

Da Bears!
posted by PhineasGage at 3:52 PM on August 8, 2018

A BEAR JUST CAUGHT A SALMON

and it was pretty chill about the whole thing, no dance or knowing wink at the camera
posted by GuyZero at 4:45 PM on August 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

Boyfriend and I watched this for about two straight days, going, "Whee!" "Whee!" every time a salmon jumped up.
posted by queensissy at 4:47 PM on August 8, 2018

the ambient of water flowing over the falls ... might be a nice sleep aid

I fell asleep briefly several times watching this, and every time I awoke I was momentarily alarmed to see the bears arrayed differently, as if I was there in person and my untimely fatigue was fixing to Darwin me straight off this mortal coil.
posted by CynicalKnight at 4:48 PM on August 8, 2018 [4 favorites]

This is quite relaxing to watch. Thanks for posting it.

Seagull 1: Offal day, isn't it?

Seagull 2: Isn't it, though! Aren't you glad we stopped by?
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 5:20 PM on August 8, 2018 [3 favorites]

My county health department office is hooked on this. A coworker and I have nicknamed the bears (the one that likes to be up to its shoulders in the foamy churning water is Spa Bear, for example). She listened to the rangers' presentation one day and said it's actually interesting and worthwhile. My favorite is when the younger ones run around chasing seagulls. On three different occasions I've gone home and made salmon for dinner because I envied the bears, also.
posted by centrifugal at 5:24 PM on August 8, 2018

I'm split-screening Bison Water Hole - Grasslands National Park, which appears to be...without water at the moment, but the camera is zooming in on a burrowing owl that's just chilling in the breeze.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 5:27 PM on August 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

Oh! Seagull just got a big wad of salmon intestine leftovers.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 5:28 PM on August 8, 2018

THIS is what I pay taxes for!
posted by mikelieman at 5:35 PM on August 8, 2018 [2 favorites]

Sometimes the bears will just hang out with people , watchin' the fish go by.

All I can think of is Werner Herzog's Grizzly Man narration.
posted by Doktor Zed at 6:26 PM on August 8, 2018

I have seen this in person. It is wonderful. It’s expensive and you should go. It’s worth every penny.
posted by kerf at 6:34 PM on August 8, 2018 [2 favorites]

The New Yorker has an article about the Bear Cam. I especially like this bit:

oh i thought it was going to be a heartwarming tale of congressional republicans being torn to pieces and devoured by bears
posted by poffin boffin at 6:34 PM on August 8, 2018 [9 favorites]

I love the bear cam!

If you are more of a seaside person, the summer is the time for Explore's walrus cam, when the male walrus haul out and lounge around the rocks on Round Island, Alaska.

Since they're several time zones away from me, the bear cam and the walrus cam soothed me on a lot of dispirited, depressed nights last summer. There is also a shark cam about 34 miles off the North Carolina shore, which is great, but it's only lit by sunlight, and the sharks don't always show up.
posted by Countess Elena at 7:12 PM on August 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

and is there a puppy cam this year yes there is
hot live labrador action right now
posted by Countess Elena at 7:15 PM on August 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

Yes. Sometimes when they zoom in on a bear that just got a fish it can get pretty gooey and graphic. I'm all for watching these bears but if you're not used to watching fishies get gutted by bears it can be jarring.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 8:37 PM on August 8, 2018

It’s kind of like watching someone try to peel and eat a banana while wearing oven mitts.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:41 PM on August 8, 2018 [2 favorites]

But with more guts.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:42 PM on August 8, 2018 [2 favorites]

This is an excellent post. I hope you can find away to post it again next year.
posted by theora55 at 8:46 PM on August 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

There's a bear mating ritual going on right now and it's awesome. Proposing off the waterfall.
posted by mannequito at 1:13 AM on August 9, 2018

Also. As is apparently tradition for me, every time I fire this up I greet the screen by saying, "Hey Booboo, time for pic-a-nic baskets."
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 1:55 AM on August 9, 2018 [3 favorites]

Thanks for reminding me of the bear cam, possibly the best part of August every year! All those bodacious bears soothe and delight me.
posted by honey badger at 5:05 AM on August 9, 2018

The Panama Fruit Feeder Cam has restful background insect noises and lots of colourful birds… though it’s completely empty right now.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 5:35 AM on August 9, 2018 [1 favorite]

There must always be a seagull on the rock.


The seagull has always been on the rock.
posted by Ghidorah at 5:50 AM on August 9, 2018

This is, like, better than any tv show ever.
posted by JanetLand at 7:10 AM on August 9, 2018

Last night I watched the same bear eat a whole fish and promptly go catch and eat another one, which makes me wonder - how many fish can they eat in one sitting? When are they full? Is it like eating a chicken nugget for us?
posted by nakedmolerats at 9:28 AM on August 9, 2018

When the salmon are running thickest, they'll rip the skin and the fat under it off and just eat that. It's pure calories they need, and you can pack a lot of fat in your stomach at one sitting when you are as big as a bear.
posted by tavella at 9:46 AM on August 9, 2018

If you have this thread open right now but don't have the video streaming - why would you ever do such a combination of things? - in any case, if you do, it looks like a baby bear on screen right now.
posted by RedOrGreen at 10:39 AM on August 9, 2018

There are 5 bears right now but they all seem to be just standing around, waiting for the salmon to jump into their mouths.
posted by bonobothegreat at 5:55 PM on August 9, 2018

A thicc bear from 2017
posted by Going To Maine at 7:28 AM on August 10, 2018