COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — After first discovering the bears of Alaska’s Katmai National Park on social media, Colorado resident Nolene Metzger decided watching them online wasn’t enough. Metzger, who has lived in Colorado for 25 years, traveled to Katmai to see the bears in person during the Fat Bear Week season.
Her interest began around 2023 after she started following the bears online. She calls Otis, an older bear known for his patience while fishing, her “gateway bear.” Otis passed away in 2023.
“I just started watching because of him,” Metzger said of Otis.
Her fascination grew as she followed other bears, including Grazer and her cubs. Metzger watched the cubs grow and said seeing the bears in person gave her a different perspective on wildlife.
“It was amazing just to see them in person and to be in their presence, because we are really in their home,” she explained.
That experience also reinforced the importance of respecting wildlife and maintaining a safe distance. One of Metzger’s favorite moments came when she and her husband encountered a bear named Marshmallow while walking between viewing platforms.
“We had to back off the trail into the trees so that we were out of the way of the bear,” she said.
Metzger also captured video of bears swimming and fishing in the river, including cubs trying to keep up with their mother. YOU CAN WATCH THE VIDEOS AND PICTURES SHARED WITH KOAA AT THE TOP OF THIS ARTICLE.
“You could see their legs paddling, especially the little cubs trying to keep up with mom,” she said. “They would just dive down a little bit and up came a fish in their mouths.”
Metzger said visitors don’t necessarily have to travel deep into the wilderness to see bears at Katmai. She said she spotted one shortly after getting off the plane.
She also hopes her experience encourages people to support national parks and learn more about wildlife conservation. Metzger contributes to the Katmai Conservancy, which raises money for the park, rangers and research.
She said Fat Bear Week has also become an educational tool, with teachers using the bears to teach children about wildlife and conservation.
For Metzger, the trip offered a lesson that extends beyond Alaska.
“People just need to stay aware of what’s happening at their national parks and public lands and advocate for those,” she said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Right to Hunt and Fish? Amendment 83
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