Alaska's bear-fishing livestream draws record millions of viewers this summer
The Brooks Falls bearcam in Katmai National Park, showing brown bears catching salmon, was watched 7.3 million times between June 22 and August 4 — up 70% from last year, as large numbers of bears gathered at the falls.
A livestream camera showing brown bears fishing for salmon in Alaska's Katmai National Park has become one of this summer's biggest online draws. Between 22 June and 4 August, the so-called bearcam was watched 7.3 million times — a 70% increase on the same period last year and more than double the views recorded in 2024.
The cameras, operated by wildlife network Explore.org, capture more than a dozen brown bears at a time prowling the rocky waters of Brooks Falls as sockeye salmon swim upstream to spawn.
Candice Rusch, Explore.org's director of new media, said the jump in viewership likely stemmed from bears congregating in large numbers at the falls this year, unlike last year, when a particularly strong salmon run meant fish were spread throughout the river and bears did not need to gather in the same concentrated spots.
The cameras were first installed in 2012 with the aim of bringing remote wildlife into people's homes, based on the idea that people are more likely to protect animals and landscapes they feel connected to. Jeffrey Skibins, an associate professor at East Carolina University, said research shows nature webcams benefit both wildlife and viewers by improving conservation attitudes and awareness, though they are not a substitute for time spent in nature itself.
A devoted fanbase
The stream has built a loyal following, with viewers learning to identify individual bears by their ears, noses and body shapes, and some tracking their feeding habits in detail. One fan reported watching a bear named Otis eat 42 salmon over several hours, which Rusch estimated could amount to more than 100,000 calories.
The bears' feeding will carry extra weight next month, when Katmai's annual Fat Bear Week begins. The public will vote in a knockout competition to crown the park's fattest bear as the animals bulk up ahead of winter hibernation.
