Katmai Brown Bears - The Rock Sitters

It’s time for some more brown bear photos from Katmai National Park, and these should tickle your funny bone!

Fishing is hard work for the bears.  The water in Brooks River is ice cold and the current is strong.  So every now and then, the bears take a break.  And a favorite place to park a furry rump is on one of the many giant boulders in the middle of a stream bed.

Why do they sit on river rocks, you ask?  Well, the park rangers don't put out benches for them, so they have to make do! Ha-ha! It doesn’t look like this spot would be comfortable, but it sure looks like there is a smile on this fellow!

One particular bear had a special affinity to a rock situated downstream of the falls.  This was one of my favorite bears because it was so photogenic.  Based on one close look I got, I concluded that it was a younger female.  She sat on her designated rock frequently and would stay for over an hour at a time, no doubt enjoying the spectacular view.

And we got some great photos of this bear from the riffles platform. I took dozens of photos of her in various poses on the rock.  Here is one of my favorites where she unfurled her long tongue while yawning.  I imagined that she was saying “ah” in readiness for a throat examination!

And after being meticulously watched and photographed during her rest break, the annoying tourists eventually gave her a headache!