| Early May on Kodiak Island. Fog drowns | | | | their mothers, who teach them the skills |
| the lush forest in mystery. Spattered | | | | needed for survival before chasing them |
| across a black earthen floor, slushy | | | | off. |
| snow melts in shadowy rings. From a | | | | No skill is more important to a Kodiak |
| wooded den, a shaggy brown head appears. | | | | than eating, and this activity takes up |
| Unbelievable in size, the creature | | | | most of its waking hours. Although |
| emerges slowly. Ursus arctos | | | | classified as a carnivore, bears are |
| middendorffi, Alaska's Kodiak Bear, | | | | actually omnivorous, and eat everything |
| awakes from her long winter's nap. She's | | | | from grasses and berries to fish and |
| not alone. Snuggled close to her massive | | | | carrion. Eating patterns maximize |
| front paws sit two cubs, the size of | | | | nutritional content. Emerging from their |
| stuffed Teddy bears. Together they weigh | | | | dens as early as March, bears will eat |
| only twenty pounds, and are hardly | | | | grass and sedges in the spring when they |
| noticeable in comparison to their 500 | | | | grow most abundantly. They feast on fish |
| pound mother. Though large, the sow is | | | | when the salmon run begins in the |
| lean, for she has lost 30% of her body | | | | summer. These months are crucial as |
| weight over the winter. Giving birth, | | | | bears must gain three to six pounds of |
| nursing, and caring for her young has | | | | fat per day to survive hibernation. This |
| taken its toll, and now is the season | | | | is the time to catch a glimpse of the |
| for eating. One at a time, she carries | | | | bear in the wild, as they will compete |
| her cubs in her jaw out of the den and | | | | over the best fishing spots along a |
| sets them rolling on the forest floor. | | | | stream. As the salmon supply dwindles, |
| Kodiak Island is sometimes called | | | | bears turn their attention to berries, |
| "Alaska's Emerald Isle." With knobby | | | | which are at their peak as autumn |
| mountains, countless waterfalls, finger | | | | approaches. If the food supply has not |
| lakes, and deep narrow inlets, it could | | | | been adequate, a bear may not hibernate. |
| well be called Neverland, for it is the | | | | At about five or six years old, female |
| place of fantasy. After Hawaii, it is | | | | Kodiaks begin breeding. Bears are |
| the second largest island in the United | | | | serially monogamous, and boars will |
| States, 3,800 square miles largely | | | | sometimes fight over a mate, sometimes |
| devoted to the vast National Wildlife | | | | causing serious injuries. Mating season |
| Refuge. With 117 salmon streams, 14 | | | | peaks in June, although embryo |
| major watersheds, and less than 100 | | | | implantation will not occur until the |
| miles of road, it is the perfect place | | | | impregnated sow is denned in November. |
| for the Kodiak Bear. | | | | Only if she has gained the necessary |
| Kodiak Bears have existed on this island | | | | weight for hibernation will the embryo |
| for 12,000 years. With their | | | | implant and the eight week gestation |
| stream-lined noses and larger bone | | | | begin. |
| structure-they are the world's largest | | | | In response to the winter food shortage, |
| bear-Kodiaks are the only scientifically | | | | bears hibernate through the winter |
| recognized sub-species of the Brown | | | | months. During this time they will not |
| Bear. Separated as they are from the | | | | eat, urinate, or defecate. |
| continent, Kodiaks have a smaller gene | | | | Astonishingly, they lose very little |
| pool. But this is not the only | | | | bone mass or muscle tone. But |
| difference. Other bears, grizzlies and | | | | hibernating bears are not unconscious. |
| browns, require one or two hundred miles | | | | Although their body temperatures drop |
| for survival, taking their food | | | | close to the surrounding temperature, |
| requirement into account. Here on Kodiak | | | | bears' metabolic rates remain high. They |
| Island, where food is abundant, the | | | | curl up to conserve heat, and may change |
| population of bears is denser than | | | | their positions in their dens. Aroused, |
| anywhere else on earth. There are 0.7 | | | | bears may even attack, although this is |
| bears per square mile, a total | | | | very rare. Only one person has been |
| population of close to 3,000 bears on | | | | killed by a Kodiak Bear in the last 75 |
| Kodiak and the surrounding archipelagos. | | | | years. Bear-caused injuries occur about |
| Due to their close proximity, these | | | | one every other year on the island. |
| bruins have developed a more diverse | | | | Although they are the largest predator |
| social structure, with large boars and | | | | on the earth, bears are normally shy and |
| sows with cubs vying for dominance. | | | | not aggressive toward humans unless |
| Single subadults, aged 3 to 5 years take | | | | provoked or afraid. With their slot |
| up the bottom rungs of the hierarchy. | | | | secure at the top of the food chain, the |
| For good reason bears capture the | | | | Kodiak's only natural enemy is man. |
| interest and hearts of many. Bear | | | | Hunting on Kodiak Island is only allowed |
| watchers, who keep a proper distance, | | | | under the tightest of regulations. About |
| sometimes term these creatures "gentle | | | | 5,000 resident hunters apply per year |
| giants." Adult boars stand up to ten | | | | for one of the 319 bear permits. |
| feet tall and weigh between 750 and | | | | Non-residents are required to hire a |
| 1,500 pounds. (Females are considerably | | | | professional guide, an expense between |
| smaller at 350-750 pounds.) They live | | | | $10K-$15K per hunt. 160 Kodiak bears are |
| fascinating lives, and are as unique and | | | | killed each season, with 70% of them |
| unpredictable as humans. Weighing less | | | | males. Otherwise, Kodiak Bears enjoy |
| than one pound, hairless, blind, and | | | | relatively long lives between 20 and 30 |
| toothless, cubs enter life almost as | | | | years. |
| helpless as human babies. One to three | | | | It is not uncommon to hear a bear |
| cubs is born in each litter, although | | | | watcher speak of their quarry as if they |
| sows have been spotted with up to five | | | | are family. These outdoorsmen may track |
| cubs. Litter size largely depends on the | | | | a sow and her cubs for years, and may |
| health of the mother and food | | | | even give them names. Some consider |
| availability. By the end of their first | | | | bears our cousins, and certainly there |
| year of life cubs weigh up to 80 pounds. | | | | is a kinship. Perhaps it started when we |
| For two to four years cubs remain with | | | | squeezed our first Teddy Bear. |