The Bear Hierarchy | Brooks Live Chat

[@PeterJPalmer]

Thank you so much, Mike and Naomi! Lots of good info and great videos of the bears in action. Appreciate the whole team for making these Brooks Live Chats happen.

[@SherylPervis]

My husband and I think 747 is the perfect nickname for 747 since he's the size of a 747 jet.

[@elizabethcline1526]

Once again great job! Appreciate the hard work you all put into these chats 😊

[@lisagagnon2275]

Thanks for another great live chat, Mike & Naomi 😊

[@joanmullally4934]

128 Grazer has fed cubs who are not hers, including the 909/910 family. 402 fed 806 jr, he walked right up and started eating timidly, he was SO hungry. 402 has a cub herself, but she let hlm. 806 started to freak out, but then the all had some fish. A few 'words' at the end, but it was remarkable to see the level of female cooperation on the Falls this year in what was a bad one for salmon/ late one.

[@psycho4agY]

856 runs a tight ship!

[@violetg7315]

Grazer is 18 in her prime and only has 2 litters of cubs. Her first litter 902 and 903 are not acting like Grazer much. So, I wonder the bears do develop their own character and maybe it has something to do with how they navigate their independent years in the bear world.

[@Dude0000]

That’s a beary reasonably hypothesis.

[@brendasandefur2971]

Loved the words from Naomi, about The female dominant Bears, when with cubs.😊. 👍. Not always about the Male Bear! Very Fair conversation s! Thank you So much to always learn each and every year!!

[@sevenluck5070]

Is there a theory as to why 747 seems less dominant this season? He clearly has a size advantage and is more than capable of defending himself, so I’m confused as to why he seems to be deferring more.

[@Megz1794]

@sevenluck5070:747 could just be avoiding conflict with other bears as much as possible look at Otis aka 480 Otis eventually got to the point where he avoids conflicts with other bears and 747 is getting older 747 is still dominate he could just be avoiding conflict with other bears as much as possible

[@Megz1794]

@sevenluck5070:certain bears will eventually get to the point where they’ll realize that fighting/conflict isn’t worth it as they older. Unlike 856 who thinks violence is always an option

[@psycho4agY]

@@Megz1794 856 is a very impressive bear! He runs a tight ship and doesn’t like anyone within a 2 mile radius of the falls. He also has the cutest ears!😂😂😂

[@Megz1794]

@@psycho4agY not saying he’s not cute just Iam saying Fighting over fish isn’t always the answer since there’s enough fish for the bears since there’s other fishing spots…etc… other sources of food

[@Megz1794]

@@psycho4agY there’s really no need to fight/have a kerfffule over a fishing spot

[@debbiesmith8248]

230 Ben is a real ladies man!

[@Dude0000]

In Evolutionary Psychology they call them ‘sneaky f***ers’. A non-dominant male (not just bears but seen mainly in monkeys) that ‘sneak’ sex with the females without fighting and so behind the dominant males back. It’s a strategy that works and is even said to apply to human males.

[@swimbait1]

I’m concerned that the commercial fishery harvested too many fish this year. There has been very few days this year where the bears have been able to catch lots of fish. So far the fish have not been there and the bears are really struggling.

[@euniceglushefski4804]

These bears are scary a couple days agoI saw a new video of 2 huge bears going at it and theywould not give it up. Fur was ripped off, they were all bitten. They said it was the most brutal video and I believe it. It was over a female.

[@Dude0000]

It’s crazy when cubs of the same litter go at it. They don’t hold back as I guess they’re literally fighting for their lives as only 4 out of 10 (40%) make it to adulthood.

[@jojobegood]

❤❤❤ superbe

[@elizabethfrance3237]

Is that the same Holly who "adopted" an abandoned cub a few years ago and raised it with her own cubs? Or do the bear names get recycled?

[@violetg7315]

There is only one Holly at Katmai, she adopted 503(born to 402, emancipated when he was only 1.5 years old) in 2014.

[@josefilemonrodriguez3811]

Is 503 back yet

[@debbiesmith8248]

Not yet.

[@debbiesmith8248]

Not yet.

[@ednaash5330]

So none of these bears are grizzlies? I'm confused. I live in Montana and we have grizzlies and they look like these bears

[@violetg7315]

Grizzly bears are only in interior North America and a subspecies of brown bears. They ate smaller than the coastal brown bears like Katmai and Kodiak brown bears because the abundance of salmons. The brown bears also live across Europe.

[@katieforeman7947]

Grizzlies and the coastal brown bears at KAtmai both belong to the species "brown bears." "Grizzlies" usually refers to inland brown bears who do not grow as large as the coastal brown bears at places like Katmai. Coastal brown bears grow larger because of their access to salmon.

[@georgia2321]

as the saying goes… all grizzlies are brown bears, but all brown bears are not grizzlies

[@elizabethfrance3237]

Is Otis around this year?

[@CuriousCat7]

Otis has not been seen yet, this year!

[@GT-mn3bx]

Yes. Since late July. And he is looking amazing for being 27.

[@debbiesmith8248]

Could the bears know that 747 is not very healthy? He seems to be sleeping a lot.

[@Dude0000]

When a bear is the dominant bear, their serotonin levels are increased and so walk around with a swagger, then when they get toppled, they lose serotonin and so have less energy. Same is true for most of not all mammals. Even lobsters share this with us and thus antidepressants are tested on them with very useful results.

[@brendabrinkmanpasichnyk3500]

No Otis?

[@KatyWithAWhyyy]

Otis hasn't been spotted yet this year. He is sometimes a late arrival (as late as 7/26 in past years). Definitely hoping he shows up! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

[@mmsharonmm]

Otis is fine, he just arrived late this year