Brown bears in Alaska’s Katmai National Park are terrific salmon catchers. But for cubs, wading in a swift river is a precarious task.
The accompanying footage, captured by the Explore.org Brown Bear Cam, shows a bear cub lose its footing, get swept up by the current, and tumble six feet down Brooks Falls.
Viewers can hear the muted voices of observers in awe of the spectacle, and cheering as the cub surfaces in apparent good health.
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According to Travel Guide Book, the bear is a first-year cub named Little Bean, whose mom, 909, was nearby. “All’s well that ends well, 909 retrieved her by the island,” Travel Guide Book wrote on Facebook.
Brooks Falls, on the Brooks River, is a famous fishing area for brown bears trying to fatten up before the onset of winter. Bears often hunt at the top of the waterfall and catch salmon as they attempt to leap over the falls to reach their spawning grounds upriver.
–Image and video are courtesy of Explore.org