Anan Bear Cam: Fishing Hole 4

Bears at the Fishing Hole

This spot on Anan Creek is one of the few places on Earth where black and brown bears fish side by side. Drawn by dense runs of pink salmon, the bears wade the shallows, dive beneath the surface, and carry their catch to the bank or into the trees to eat in privacy.

A Tongass Rainforest Setting

The camera overlooks a moss-draped corner of the Tongass National Forest, the largest temperate rainforest in the United States. Towering conifers, ferns, and tangled understory line the creek as it tumbles over rocks and slips through calm pools.

A Shared Wild Feast

Bald eagles, ravens, and crows patrol the banks, snatching scraps left behind by the bears. Mother bears sometimes send their cubs up the trees above the hole for safety while they fish, and bears may line up along the creek awaiting their turn.

Part of the Anan Ecosystem

Anan is a protected wildlife viewing area deep in Southeast Alaska near Wrangell. The salmon runs sustain a rich web of life here, making this fishing hole a window onto one of the region's most vibrant natural gatherings.