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| “Eagles, whales and bears, OH MY! Quartz Creek Lodge is the best place we have ever been to view wildlife in their natural habitat.” |
~Earl & Barbara Dolan, Maryland |
Click on the Photos Below to View
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The Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi) is an unique subspecies of the brown bear. Kodiak bears live exclusively on the islands in the Kodiak Archipelago and have been isolated from other bears for about 12,000 years.
Kodiak Island
Bears roam freely through the wild terrain of Uganik
Bay in the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. KNWR is
home to over 3000 of the largest bears in the world.
Opportunities to view the Kodiak Bears are numerous
throughout the three massive arms of Uganik Bay. A
scenic boat ride to each area presents a wide variety
of land and marine mammals, song and seabirds.
By late May the magnificent
Kodiak Bears will be seen grazing on the fresh sprouts
of sedges and goose tongue in the tidal flats. As the
summer progresses they move to their favorite feeding
grounds along the riverbanks as the salmon enter the
rivers and begin their annual trip towards spawning
grounds. Single bears or sows with one to three playful
& curious cubs can be seen at any time lumbering
along, fishing, wrestling, swimming or napping at many
points throughout the bay. By mid to late July the salmon
are thick in the river and the bears learn to share their
space with each other as they fish. Salmon will continue
running in to the river through October where the bears
will remain, feasting on the rich fish. Each bear has
its own fishing style and technique. As you view them
the difference becomes apparent: the older bears do
more catching and eating and the younger ones make all
the splashes as they charge after the fish in the river
... their success rate isn't so high at catching, but
it's a thrill to watch it all!
Operating in the KNWR where
there are more bears than people makes for some incredible
viewing & photography opportunities. Good quality
optics and camera equipment that you are comfortable
and familiar with is a must for the best possible once-in-a-lifetime
experience. Taking small groups of 6 or less, we strive
to maintain a low impact presence in Uganik Bay.
 Your guide, David Pingree,
has worked around bears since 1992 and enjoys sharing
his knowledge with all who are interested.
click here to read more about our Wildlife Viewing
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