Alaskan brown bear fishing

A big bear fishing in a shallow Alaska lake. This Alaskan brown bear and her cub are searching these waters for razor clams, an integral part of the diet of a bear. Once they have found clams, the bear attacks the mollusk by prying the shell open using its claws.

Image taken at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Visit this idyllic National Park and learn how to be a better photographer with professional instructor Matt Shetzer.

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Bear cubs nursing at mother's breast

A mama bear sits patiently while her two young cubs nurse at her breast. Mother bears will keep their cubs nursing for two to three years before weaning them. During this time period, the cubs will also eat solid food.

The two cubs pictured here are spring cubs- newborn this winter- who will be feeding at their mother's breast for a few more seasons.

The mother bear keeps a wary eye on the photographer while the cubs nursing eat their fill.

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Brown bear creates a splash as it charges into the river

Taking a dip - A large grizzly bear looks straight into the camera as it charges into the water off the coasts of Alaska. The sheer size of the bear causes a sizeable splash as the brown bear runs into the crisp waters located in the Lake Clark National Park bear preserve.

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Grizzly Bear Sow Protecting Her Cub

A large mother grizzly protects her cub, a tiny young spring cub, just born the previous winter. The mother bear keeps an eye out for predators or other threats while the young cub cuddles his mother for warmth lost due to his wet fur.

The pair of bears have been fishing in a salmon-saturated river. Every summer, salmon migrate upstream to spawn. Grizzly bears congregate in huge numbers on the banks of Alaskan rivers to feed off of this swollen food supply. Salmon is one of the staples of the grizzly bear's diet.

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Grizzly Bear Taking a Break from Fishing

Taking a break - A male grizzly takes a time out from fishing along the coast of Lake Clark National Park in Southeast Alaska. The brown bear is one of the largest bear species and can be found in many habitats, from the fringes of deserts to high mountain forests and ice fields. In North America they can often be found tundra forests, alpine meadows and along coastlines.

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A Grizzly bear in the woods

Does a bear crap in the woods? I think this image tells it all. Taken on the Chilkoot river outside of Haines Alaska.

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Alaskan Grizzly Bear in a Tree

An Alaskan Grizzly Bear climbed this tree effortlessly after her spring cubs retreated for cover from another bear. This sow weighs about 700lbs and displayed how easy a bear can climb.

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Bear cubs snuggle on beach

Lean on me - A little brown bear cub rests its head on another cubs backside as they look into the distance on a rock-lined coast in Southeast Alaska. The cubs stick close to their mother the first few years of their lives to learn survival skills. This includes feeding techniques such as learning how to dig for clams on the beach.

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Bear Family - Grizzy bear sow finishes nursing cubs at Lake Clark

Bear family cozying up after nursing at Lake Clark. Seen here are a sow and her two grizzly bear cubs cuddling together. Having just nursed, this mother enjoys a snuggle with her babies. Resting on the sandy beaches near Silver Salmon Creek, just west of Homer, Alaska, the tall grass and evergreens are nursing grounds for these cubs. Bear families stay together for 2-3 years before the young brown bears go off to create families of their own. Bears have developed a remarkable language to express emotions within their complex social structure. Just like human children, these cubs will learn how to speak from their bear parents.

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Brown bear cub steals salmon from mom

What beats a fresh catch more than a fresh steal? This brown bear cub has just taken a sockeye salmon from its mother. This action shot shows closeup the strength of these bears at an early age. Sockeye at Lake Clark can reach up to 15 pounds, so for this furry bear cub to run all out through the moving water with a salmon in its mouth is nothing short of impressive. With a giddy and mischievous look on its face, this cub leave its mother standing dumbfounded yet proud in the background.

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Brown bear siblings play together

Brown bear siblings play together in the grass in the Alaskan wilderness. Baby brown bears are often born in pairs. They stay in the den with their mother until Springtime, when they venture outside to explore their habitat and learn survival skills.

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Grizzly Bear Attacks Bald Eagle in Alaska

A large Grizzly Bear attacks a Bald Eagle in Alaska. Grizzly Bears do not regularly hunt bald eagles. This bear may have simply been playing; amusing itself idly rather than actually attempting to hunt.

This is one of the only photos ever of a grizzly bear attacking a bald eagle. This unique image was captured in Alaska, a habitat where both species are found in abundance.

This grizzly bear chasing the bald eagle wears a goofy smile on his face, lending the scene a playful appearance. The bald eagle is much too fast and alert to be captured by a grizzly bear.

Bald eagles are surprisingly large and fierce birds. Eagles are actually observed attacking bears more often than grizzly bears attacking eagles.

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Grizzly Bear Cub stands above water with Salmon

This young spring cub grizzly bear hovers above the salmon above the cold waters of Chilkoot River in Southeast Alaska.

The baby bear is eating a chunk of salmon fished from the Chilkoot. The baby bear eating probably received his food from his mother, as spring cubs spend their first summer in the wild learning the basic of survival, while their mothers provide food and shelter.

Baby bears eat tons of food, especially compared to their weight. Spring cubs weigh one pound when they are born, but will have bulked up to 300-500 pounds in only a few years.

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Grizzly bear displays claws while resting on beach

An adult grizzly bear rests on a beach, showcasing his impressive claws. Grizzly bear claws are the animal's most essential tools. The claws are up to several inches long and curved. Grizzly bear claws vary in color including white and yellow and brown.

Grizzly bear claws are utility tools: the animals use them to dig up razor clams, roots and plant bulbs. The animals also use their claws as weapons, to grab and hold prey so that they can use their fearsome jaws. Grizzly bear claws are also vital in the construction of hibernation dens.

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Grizzly Bear Sow and Cub cuddling in the rain of Alaska

A sow and her cub cuddling up for a nap on a rocky river beach in Alaska. The pair are taking a break from fishing in the McNeil river for salmon. The pair are cuddling to regain warmth lost through their wet fur.

Young bears have an exceptionally close bond with their mothers, who will teach them all the life skills they need to survive in the Alaskan wilderness.

Photo taken at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska.

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Grizzly Bear Sow and Cub Drink from the stream

A mother grizzly bear and her cub stop for a drink at Lake Clark National Park in Southwest Alaska. Continuously inhabited since early prehistoric times, the Lake Clark region nevertheless remains sparsely populated by humans.
Female brown bears den while pregnant and give birth during this winter rest, usually to a pair of cubs. Brown bear cubs nurse on their mother's milk until spring and stay with her for about two and a half years.

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Grizzly mother and cub stroll through forest together

A pair of mighty coastal brown bears saunter through the Alaskan wilderness in the heart of Bear Country.
Grizzly Bears roam free over the four million acres of the Lake Clark National Preserve, along with a diversity of wildlife including moose, wolves, porcupines and a multitude of bird species.
The bears are protected in the park and have not been hunted by man. Because of this, the area is a prime spot for photographers to hone their wildlife photography skills.

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Large Alakan Grizzly Bear on Green Grass

A grizzly bear standing in shallow water Katmai National Park.

The grizzly bear standing in the water has just emerged from a deeper part of the lake, where he was cooling off from a hot Alaskan summer. The bear's wet fur will help keep it cool as it explores the rest of the territory in Katmai National Park.

Katmai has a huge population of Grizzly Bears. The bears in Katmai are not hostile to humans, which allows photographers to capture amazing shots of these animals from close distances without altering the bears' behavior.

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Sow crosses Silver Salmon Creek with two cubs

Grizzly bear mother and her two grizzly cubs cross the water. As her cubs focus on wading through the waters of Silver Salmon Creek, a mother grizzly watches for dangers and eating opportunities.

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Two playful grizzly bear cubs jawing

Two wet and playful grizzly bear cubs attack each other. The young bears practice their fighting skills from birth. Although the playful grizzly bear cubs will not harm each other, they will use skills they learn from play-fighting when they come into contact with rival bears. Adult grizzlies come into conflict with each other over issues of territory and mating.

This great photo allows us to see the eyes of these playful grizzly bear cubs– when bears are fighting for real, their eyes carry a ferocious determination not seen here.

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Young bear cubs play with each other

Young bear cubs playing on the tidal flats of Lake Clark. Two adorable brown bear cubs are seen here standing on hind legs as they wrestle around the muddy waters. Tall grass along the shore and forest in the background.

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Young cubs give each other bear hug

Bears who live in Lake Clark National Park are free to display their natural behaviors feeding, exploring, and playing in their native habitat. Here, two young grizzly cubs wrestle and play in a sedge-filled meadow near Silver Salmon Creek.
Dozens of photographers travel to the Alaskan preserve to capture the natural beauty of the playful mammals every year.

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Bear silhouette on golden beach at sunrise

Strolling along a sunlit beach - A lone grizzly bear is joined by a seagull during a walk on the beach in Alaska. The bear searches for clams to dig up as it saunters along the golden-illuminated shore, undisturbed by the feathered scavenger following in its path.

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Brown bear poses in the water showing its belly

A bear bath - A bear takes a moment to pause from a bath and check out the surroundings off the coast of Alaska. Bears are very good swimmers, and can often be found in lakes and the ocean, not only for hunting fish, but to cool off, rinse off and relax during the heat of the day.

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Brown bear sow nurses cubs

Brown bear sow nurses cubs in slough at Lake Clark. A mother bear rests on her back as her two fuzzy cubs nurse. Lying among the tall grass in a sandy slough with evergreens in the background, this closeup image was photographed during an intimate family moment.

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Cub and Sow play in water

A sow and her cub play in Silver Salmon Creek. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska.

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Grizzly Bear cubs play

Fuzzy bear cubs goofing around on the estuaries of Lake Clark. The tidal flats here are abundant with clams making easy meals for hungry bears. These grizzly cubs find a chance to play as their mother keeps up the search for more food. Set against the evergreen forest in the distance, the muddy flats provide ample opportunities for playful bear photography. Twin bear cubs are often seen frolicking at Lake Clark National Park during our photo tours.

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Grizzly Bear paw prints at Lake Clark

Grizzly bear paw prints along the shore with a mountain range in the background. Following a bear's path, seen here are the fresh paw prints of a grizzly bear strolling on the shoreline at Lake Clark. The soft sand on the banks are set before a background of evergreens and mountain peaks.

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Grizzly Bear Sow and young bear cub play

Grizzly bear sow and cub playing in the fields of Lake Clark National Park. This mother feigns protest as her cute bear cub nibbles on her ear. Still wet from fishing in Silver Salmon Creek, this bear family plays in the sun with bellies full of sockeye and clams. Scientists note that bears have personalities similar to humans, and each bear has a mind of its own. When not on the hunt or hibernating, grizzlies love to play. This builds stronger family bonds, and teaches the bear cubs valuable skills they will need as they grow older.

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Grizzly cubs watch the photographers on the beach

A pair of grizzly bear cubs scan the beach near in the coastal beaches of Alaska. The young cub stands on his hind legs to get a better view of the landscape. While he is only a couple feet tall now, when he reaches adulthood, he could stand as tall as six or seven feet.

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Grizzy bear family up close

Grizzly bear family up close nuzzling. Seen here on the muddy tidal flats clamming for a meal, this sow and her two grizzly cubs are taking a break from the hunt for a family kiss. Photographed at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.

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Two Grizzly Bears wait for Salmon

Two grizzly bears search for salmon on the banks of the McNeil River. Grizzlies usually will not tolerate the presence of other adult grizzly bears, but the salmon run is a unique occurrence. Due to the huge availability of salmon grizzly bears do not feel the need to fight off challengers. There is more than enough food to go around, which is why you see two grizzly bears peacefully co-existing in this photograph.

The bear in the foreground is the largest bear present on this stretch of river, which means it can claim the best fishing spot. Other bears will acknowledge the supremacy of this bear, and seek out fish elsewhere.

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Action shots of bear cubs playing in grass

Getting in on the action - This photo captures a heart warming moment in the Alaskan wilderness as a pair of bear cubs play in the grass. The series of action shots portray two young grizzly bear cubs as they tussle, tangle, embrace and nuzzle one another in a grassy basin in the heart of bear country. These clumsy, playful cubs aren't only engaging in horseplay, they are honing in on their instincts with their mother watching close by.

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Bear Face Close up

Bear face closeup at Lake Clark National Park. An adult grizzly bear sits in the meadows of the park, taking a break from the hunt and constant search for food. This stoic image of a mature grizzly was captured during a bear watching photography workshop near Homer, Alaska. Adapted to the rugged terrain which it lives in, these bears have also adapted to people. With no history of bear hunting in Lake Clark, no injury by people, and not acquiring food from humans, bears here are much more tolerable of people than in other places around the globe. Some of the best bear watching can be found here, allowing outstanding images like this to be taken easily.

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Bear teaching cub to fish for Clams

A bear teaches her young cub how to fish for clams. This cub is a spring cub, this years cub, and will be with her for another two years learning all it can from the sow to survive on its own.

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