Brown bear in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska  Oct 3, 2026

The season of big meals, bigger bellies, and stocking up for winter is here. In Alaska, brown bears at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve make the most of the food still available in October. They feed on fish, sedges, berries, roots, clams, and other foods to build up fat reserves. Some can weigh more than 1,000 pounds before entering their dens for hibernation. That stored fat helps them survive the winter, when they do not eat or drink.

© Danny Green/Nature Picture Library

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