Brown Bears in Alaska's National Parks

Conservation of a Wilderness Icon

Grant V. Hilderbrand, Kyle Joly, David D. Gustine, Nina Chambers

• Publisher: University of Alaska Press
• Year: 2025
• Print ISBN: 9781646427109, 9781646427093
• eBook ISBN: 9781646427116
• Subtopic: Écologie

Brown bears are powerful symbols of wilderness, thriving in the vast, untamed ecosystems of Alaska's remote national parks. Brown Bears in Alaska's National Parks is a unique and thorough exploration of the conservation, ecology, and management of brown bears in these parks, including examinations of bear biology, human-bear interactions, population estimation methods, and the effects of climate change on bear populations. This lavishly illustrated volume offers fresh perspectives about the complex challenges that bears and humans face as they navigate coexistence in the evolving wilderness of Alaska.

Through park-specific chapters, the authors clearly present the current understanding of brown bear ecology across a wide range of ecosystems—from the sparse and frigid Gates of the Arctic, entirely above the Arctic Circle, to the bountiful coast of Katmai, where the marine and terrestrial systems converge. In Glacier Bay, bears roam newly exposed ecosystems shaped by retreating glaciers, while the interior landscapes of Lake Clark and Denali provide a mix of boreal forests, tundra, rivers, and towering mountains.

Brown bears—and the many species that share their habitats—face numerous challenges, with climate change among the greatest threats. The warming climate intensifies other pressures, such as industrial development, both within and around park boundaries. Management actions may also reduce native brown bear populations and, in turn, threaten healthy and naturally functioning ecosystems. The adaptability of brown bears, in concert with thoughtful and science-based management, is essential for the conservation of these majestic creatures and the wilderness landscapes on which they depend.

Written by the wildlife biologists and anthropologists who have dedicated their careers to studying brown (grizzly) bears and their relationship to people, Brown Bears in Alaska's National Parks is a premier reference for bear enthusiasts, biologists, managers, and academics, as well as advocates for wild things and wild places.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Foreword by Fran Ulmer
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• 1 Stewardship: Preserving Bears for Future Generations
• 2 Bears and Humans: An Ancient Relationship That Persists Today
• 3 Ecology: How Bears Live in Their World
• 4 Human-Bear Interactions: The Challenge of Coexistence
• 5 Climate Change: Can Bears Adapt to a Dynamic World?
• 6 Population Estimation: How Many Bears Are There?
• 7 Glacier Bay: Bears in the Bay That Glaciers Built
• 8 Denali: From Murie to Modern Day
• 9 Gates of the Arctic: Bears in the Brooks Range
• 10 Katmai: The Greatest Concentration of Bears on the Planet
• 11 Lake Clark: Diverse Life Histories Amid Myriad Pressures
• 12 Ecological Variation: Resilience in Times of Change
• 13 Conclusion: The Future of Brown Bear Conservation, Management, and Science in Alaska’s Parklands
• Bibliography
• Index
• About the Authors