NEWS RELEASES
Editor's Note: This news item was retrieved and first published through Anchorage Daily News' website.
Changes will be coming to Katmai National Park that will affect how visitors navigate the grounds of the Brooks River Corridor, a popular spot for observing brown bears. The park wants to establish permits to allow folks to use the river corridor. With visitation at an all-time high, park Superintendent Mark Sturm said they want to insure all park-goers are safe.Anchorage Daily News writer, Tyler Thompson, covers in his article, “We got a lot of people walking around,” Sturm said in the article, “Some of whom have decades of experience walking and doing things like fishing among the bears. But there has been a noticeable increase in folks who are somewhat novice on how to behave and access bear country. We see them putting themselves in dangerous situations.” For example, inexperienced fishing in the corridor has led to bears snagging angled fish from lines. Sturm said this can result in bears getting too close to park visitors. A public meeting will be held at Katmai National Park headquarters in King Salmon on Feb. 14.
To read more on the issue at Katmai National Park, click here.