Understanding Kodiak Bears

Jamie Newman
Professor Jonathan Duncan
English 101
August 7, 2012

Jamie Newman: Understanding Kodiak Bears

   When people think of Alaska, they usually think of cold and harsh temperatures, darkness that last months at a time, and an ocean of snow covered grounds for as far as the eye can see. Yet situated in the Gulf of Alaska is the mild temperature Kodiak Island. Located 25 miles south east of the Alaska peninsula, Kodiak Island is comprised of moderately rugged mountains and an abundance of thick vegetation that creates a unique and spectacular array of colors and textures.(www.adfg.alaska.gov/) Also contributing to an abundance of food and coverage for a variety of wildlife, Kodiak Island is home to the infamous Kodiak bear—which is arguably considered the largest bear in the world.    Known not only for its size, often weighing up to 1500 pounds, the Kodiak bear lives a unique life that can be as unpredictable as a human’s. Despite bear watchers giving it the nickname “gentile giant”, it is important to understand that these bears are extremely dangerous. With bear watching becoming more common on Kodiak Island, visitor education has become crucial to understand the bear’s behavior, which is important in bear-human interactions.(www.adfg.alaska.gov/)

     In October 2008, a young military man by the name of Matt Sutton was returning to Kodiak Island on an annual deer hunt with a good friend; the plan was to hunt Sitka deer for a week and then finish their trip with several days of Kodiak bear hunting.   However, this trip was going to change his life forever; he was about to survive one of the most gruesome bear attacks known on the Island.  After harvesting a Sitka doe, Sutton was attacked by a young Kodiak bear while dragging his freshly field dressed carcass to the shoreline.  Thinking at first that it was only a “bluff charge” Sutton recalls the 250 pound cub coming right through the air and landing on him.  After tearing open his neck and pawing at him a while, the cub tossed Sutton aside. He watched in horror as two more bears, another cub and its mother, came upon the scene.  Sutton tried to scare them away, as the bears were tearing apart his deer carcass; he began yelling and waving his arms, which only led to one of the cubs attacking him again.  To his relief, he could hear his friend coming down the mountain slope calling his name and as he got closer, the bears ran off.  His clothes were shredded and his left arm looked like ground hamburger.  Warm blood trickled down the back of his neck.  A slash across his abdomen threatened to split open, while shiny grey-white tendons peeked through two gouges in his left leg. It would take many surgeries to repair the wounds, but he survive the attack of these hungry cubs and their mother. (survival.outdoorlife.com/.../hunter-survives-gruesome-bear-attack)
     Often confused as a Brown or Grizzly bear, the Kodiak bear is specific to Kodiak Island because they have been known to have lived isolated on the island since the last ice age 12,000 years ago. (http://  The maritime climate, with its mild temperature ranges, provide a rich vegetation and access to an endless food supply, which allows these bears to grow larger and live in higher densities than their close cousin, the Grizzly. Having a healthy and reproducing population of more than 3,000 bears, they have the highest densities in areas with little permanent human occupation. In appearance, the Kodiak bear tends to have a more prominent shoulder hump, smaller ears and longer, straighter claws than their relatives, the Black or Polar bear.  The color of the Kodiak bear can range anywhere from dark brown to light blonde and the varying shapes of these bears are adaptations directly related to their difference in lifestyles. The longer claws of the Kodiak bear are useful for digging roots and excavating small mammals, while their masculine bone structure and hump are adaptations for digging and attaining bursts of speed necessary to capture moose or caribou.  Standing over 10’ tall when on its back legs and being known to run at speeds up to 25 miles an hour, this bear is surely the king of its habitat and threat to both humans and animals that cross its path.
   The best time to watch bears is in the spring and summer, typically during the hours of dawn and dusk which is when they are usually actively hunting and searching for food.  The shoreline is a resourceful place of food for the Kodiak bear, in which they often feed off of shellfish, sedges and other dead animals. Concentrated feeding areas, such as salmon spawning streams and sedge flats, provide excellent opportunities for people to watch bear.  Spending 6 to 8 months a year feeding in preparation for the lean winter months, Kodiak bears feed off of numerous sources of nutrition.  In the spring, they feed on a variety of greens, such as grass or sedges, supplemented with moose calves and carrion.  In the summer and fall, bears gorge on spawning salmon in streams and feed off berries, such as cranberries, currants, blueberries and devils club.  ,They are also known to spend time in the summer digging up marmots, tilling meadows for roots and tearing apart logs for insects.  Bears do not view humans as a source of food, therefore attacks of humans by Kodiak bears are considered rare on the island.  (http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/kodiak/nathistory.htm  Web. Aug. 2012)
     Typically bear attacks happen when either the human or the bear is surprised by the other’s presence. Bears are typically solitary animals and try to avoid humans,  with the exception of females with their cubs, in which mother bears will fiercely protect their cubs.  Usually born mid-winter, cubs tend to nurse and share their mother’s fat reserves through her rich milk.  Sows typically have only 2-3 cubs, although some are thought to have more, depending on health and amount of food resources to the bears.  The cubs typically stay with their mother until the age of two.  There has been some research suggesting cannibalism among Kodiak bears, mostly occurring with the father and cubs. Studies are starting to suggest a trend of a low survival rate in cubs that is directly related to the fathers and cannibalism.  Mothers are becoming increasingly protective, and the Kodiak bear has developed a complex language and social structure to express feelings and minimize serious fights amongst each other.  Most bears do what they can to avoid interactions with humans, and if given the opportunity to do the right thing, it will.  Bears need a lot of space and clear directions for an easy retreat.  Often when a bear attacks in nature, it is due feeling threatened and it will often retreat once the threat is removed.  Typically a bear will hear and smell you long before you know it is there and you will never see it.  When hiking and enjoying outdoor activities, it is recommended to be noisy, as to give bears plenty of time to scurry away. Bears that often become trouble have become accustomed to human food or garbage left by careless hikers, campers or tourists.  Feeding a bear human food, or leaving food unsecured when camping, is partially a problem because allowing bears to associate human food as an easy source of nutrition will create more of an attraction to humans and less fear.  They then become a nuisance and usually end up being killed for safety reasons, as they will defend their cache of food aggressively.(www.adfg.alaska.gov/index)

    Bears, like humans, often travel on trails and roads and are very curious by nature. The best strategy for avoiding attacks is to follow all recommended safety guidelines printed by local fish and game, and understand the warning signs and know what to do. When faced with an unexpected encounter, they will often stand on their hind legs trying to get closer and identify the potential threat.  Sometimes they will do what is called a “bluff charge”—charging at you like its ready to attack but only coming within 10 feet of a person. Human instinct would be to run in this situation, however just like a dog, it is a bear’s natural instinct to chase fleeing animals.  Bears are very fast and cannot be out run by a human.  Bear attacks most commonly happen only when a bear feels threatened.  If attacked, playing dead and lying as still as possible is typically the recommended strategy for surviving an attack of any kind.  It is rare for a bear to attack humans as a source of food, especially on Kodiak island, where they have such abundance of food sources.  Hunters are most often more of a target to the Kodiak bear than the average hiker or nature lover because when hunting, hunters are usually doing so as quietly as possible and are more likely to disturb or surprise a bear.  Sutton was an experienced hunter that had spent many years in Alaska stationed on a military base. He was very familiar with the terrain and the Kodiak bears.  He had hunted Alaska and the bears many times before. Unfortunately this one time, the mistake of carrying his doe carcass back to shore, almost cost him his life.
   The Kodiak bear brings tourists of all types, from bear and wildlife lovers, to the most experienced and avid hunters.  Many of the residents of Kodiak Island make their living taking tourists on guided fishing, hunting and site seeing trips year round.  The Kodiak bear is thought to have a healthy reproducing population, however humans could still be known as a threat to their ability to sustain life. The rugged mountains and thick coverage on Kodiak Island is more than just simply inviting to animals and humans alike. Respecting bears in their natural habitat, knowing how to avoid bear attacks, and obeying the laws in their land are crucial to minimize the damage that can be caused.  Local residents have learned to live with the bears in harmony, while using them as a finical resource and without threatening Kodiak bears.   With approximately 1 bear to every square mile, it is not uncommon to see this majestic bear in nature.  Just remember, understanding their nature and behavior will be your first key to survival in the event of an attack!

Works Cited

No Author. "Alaska Department of Fish and Game." Wildlife Viewing. N.P>,n.d. Web. 08 2012.
        http://adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg?=viewing.landmammals>.

       http:www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewing.distance>.

       http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=brownbear.main>.

Http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/Kodiak /nathistory.htm>.

No Author. Survial.outdoorlife.com/../hunter-survives-gruesome-bear-atttack