Brown Bears (Info, Pics and Videos)

[Ngala]

All photo and information credits: Kevin Schafer Photography

Salmon Sushi
"OK, a little gruesome. (Especially if you're a fish...). But I was intrigued by the story behind the picture. 
The bears at Katmai National Park gather every July at the legendary Brooks Falls, a natural barrier to salmon making their annual upstream migration. The salmon swirl around at the base of the falls, making easy targets for the bears which have only to open their mouths for a meal.
Because of this abundance, the bears become picky eaters - not consuming every fish that comes their way. Instead, they carefully strip the fat-rich skin off of the salmon, squeeze out the eggs of gravid females, and throw the rest away. With so much food available, they want to consume only the richest, highest-food-value bits. 
It seems wasteful, even cruel, but it's how animals deal with absurd abundance: by being selective. It's a little like how we might approach a vast buffet - skip the starches at the beginning and pile up the good stuff at the other end."

Brown Bear and Sockeye Salmon, Brooks Falls, Alaska

*This image is copyright of its original author

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