grizzly or brown bears, or where habitat is shared by both grizzly and polar bears, but none that is shared by all three species. In fact, most of this continent
is inhabited only by black bears. Most of Europe is home only to brown bears, except in the far North where polar bears occur. There are parts of Asia
shared by brown bears and Asiatic black bears, as well as other areas shared by Asiatic black bears and sun bears or sloth bears or panda bears. There
might even be small areas shared by sun and sloth bears. The spectacled bear of South America is the only ursid on that continent. So if you want to see a
particular species, that will limit where you can view. Click here to see photos of each species and maps of where each lives.
In which region do you wish to view bears? Are you selecting your geographic region primarily because of its bear viewing
opportunities? Or is bear viewing a secondary consideration? For example, some people visit Alaska primarily to see bears, whereas for others, seeing bears
is just one of many kinds of recreation they want to experience in Alaska. Still others come primarily on business and just grab whatever recreation they
can fit into their schedule and budget. If bear viewing is just a secondary consideration, click here to skip ahead and scan our list of regions. When you
click on a region, webpages will open where you can compare viewing opportunities in that region, and assess each according to your schedule, budget, and
goals.
Seasonal bear activities and viewability
Certain activities occur only certain times of year. For example:
* Den emergence by black and brown bears tends to occur first by adult and subadult males (e.g., in late March or early April), then
cubless adult females and those with yearling or older cubs, followed by juveniles of both sexes, and by female with infant cubs
(e.g., late April or early May). Cubless adult females tend to start searching for mates and leaving scent marks that help males find them.
* Courtship, mating and related activities by black and brown bears occur mainly during late May - early July. Those by polar
bears tend to occur 1 month earlier.
* Birth of black and brown bear cubs typically occurs during the last week of January or first week of February. Birth of polar bear cubs
tends to occur about 1 month earlier.
* Clamming occurs mainly during very low tides; so find a tide table on the web to identify days with the lowest tides. These tend to occur
during one or two multi-day clusters per month; a low tide lasts for only an hour or two.
* Catching salmon occurs only during those weeks of the "summer" when fish are ascending a given stream in preparation for mating.
Some streams have only a single, short salmon run each summer, whereas other streams host fish throughout several weeks,
if not months, annually.
Your best opportunity to view numerous black or brown bears together is likely to be when or recently after the bears feast on a
wealth of meat in the form of salmon or a whale carcass.
* Maternal care and play can best be seen from mid- or late-June through early fall.
What are your goals? (click here to read more)
is inhabited only by black bears. Most of Europe is home only to brown bears, except in the far North where polar bears occur. There are parts of Asia
shared by brown bears and Asiatic black bears, as well as other areas shared by Asiatic black bears and sun bears or sloth bears or panda bears. There
might even be small areas shared by sun and sloth bears. The spectacled bear of South America is the only ursid on that continent. So if you want to see a
particular species, that will limit where you can view. Click here to see photos of each species and maps of where each lives.
In which region do you wish to view bears? Are you selecting your geographic region primarily because of its bear viewing
opportunities? Or is bear viewing a secondary consideration? For example, some people visit Alaska primarily to see bears, whereas for others, seeing bears
is just one of many kinds of recreation they want to experience in Alaska. Still others come primarily on business and just grab whatever recreation they
can fit into their schedule and budget. If bear viewing is just a secondary consideration, click here to skip ahead and scan our list of regions. When you
click on a region, webpages will open where you can compare viewing opportunities in that region, and assess each according to your schedule, budget, and
goals.
Seasonal bear activities and viewability
Certain activities occur only certain times of year. For example:
* Den emergence by black and brown bears tends to occur first by adult and subadult males (e.g., in late March or early April), then
cubless adult females and those with yearling or older cubs, followed by juveniles of both sexes, and by female with infant cubs
(e.g., late April or early May). Cubless adult females tend to start searching for mates and leaving scent marks that help males find them.
* Courtship, mating and related activities by black and brown bears occur mainly during late May - early July. Those by polar
bears tend to occur 1 month earlier.
* Birth of black and brown bear cubs typically occurs during the last week of January or first week of February. Birth of polar bear cubs
tends to occur about 1 month earlier.
* Clamming occurs mainly during very low tides; so find a tide table on the web to identify days with the lowest tides. These tend to occur
during one or two multi-day clusters per month; a low tide lasts for only an hour or two.
* Catching salmon occurs only during those weeks of the "summer" when fish are ascending a given stream in preparation for mating.
Some streams have only a single, short salmon run each summer, whereas other streams host fish throughout several weeks,
if not months, annually.
Your best opportunity to view numerous black or brown bears together is likely to be when or recently after the bears feast on a
wealth of meat in the form of salmon or a whale carcass.
* Maternal care and play can best be seen from mid- or late-June through early fall.
What are your goals? (click here to read more)
| Viewing Guides, Tour Companies & Transporters |
| Bear Viewing Association To watch, to wonder, and to conserve [email protected] Ph/Fax (907) 260-9059 (Office) 39200 Alma Ave. Soldotna, AK 99669 |
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Answers to questions commonly asked by wildlife viewers on the topics listed below: |
| Bear Viewing Association To watch, to wonder, and to conserve [email protected] Ph/Fax (907) 260-9059 (Office) 39200 Alma Ave. Soldotna, AK 99669 |
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