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Bear Etiquette in Katmai. Bear Etiquette in Katmai. Problem: impacts to wildlife; crowding Management Strategies: harden the resource; increase supply; reduce the impact of use; limit use
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Bear Etiquette in Katmai • Problem: impacts to wildlife; crowding • Management Strategies: harden the resource; increase supply; reduce the impact of use; limit use • Management Practices: facility development/ site design/maintenance; rules and regulations; information/ education; rationing/ allocation
Bear Etiquette in Katmai • Katmai National Monument - 1918 • Katmai National Park and Preserve - 1980 • ANILCA • “Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes” • 4.7 million acres • Brooks River area • National Historic Landmark • Culturally significant for more than 4,000 years
Bear Etiquette in Katmai • Brooks Camp established in the 1950s • Developed campground, ranger station, visitor center, auditorium, concessionaire lodge, fish freezing building, elevated boardwalks and viewing platforms • 10,000 to 15,000 visitors annually • Early June through mid September • Best bear viewing in July and September
Bear Etiquette in Katmai • Challenge of having so many visitors and bears in a small area • Two original elevated viewing platforms • Frequently crowded • Visitor/bear trail sharing issue • Addition of two new viewing platforms, an elevated boardwalk and covered staging platform • Maximum of 40 visitors on the Falls Platform • Viewing time limited to one hour
Bear Etiquette in Katmai • Webcam installed at Falls Platform in 2009 • Improvements to webcam scheduled for 2012 • “Bear Etiquette” training course at visitor center • Food and drink are prohibited outside of buildings and designated picnic areas • Pets are prohibited • Gear must be carried at all times • Visitors must remain 50 yards from bears
Bear Etiquette in Katmai • Campers must store food and garbage in a central cache and spend evenings within an electric fence • Anglers must remove or cut line, and move away slowly when bears approach • Fish kept by anglers must be immediately frozen • Wildlife photographers encouraged to follow ethical guidelines of North American Nature Photography Association • On-going study and monitoring
Bear Etiquette in Katmai • Katmai National Park – The Bears (11:00) • Bear Viewing platform (0:30) • Bear safety in Katmai • Shocking Bears: Electric Fences for Bear-Country Campers