Anan Bear Observation Project Underway
Anan Wildlife Observatory is a place where visitors can experience a natural phenomenon when every year bears pluck running salmon out of Anan Creek. While entertaining, the observatory is an important location for ongoing T3 Alaska research. The project aims to monitor bears throughout the season and collect data on salmon consumption and bear health. One of our valued community partners, the US Forest Service, is collaborating with T3 Alaska to install bear monitoring devices.
In March, T3 Alaska students traveled to the Anan Wildlief Observatory to prepare the site for a remote power system and remote camera installation. The students, with the help of the Anan Bear Manager Jenn Kardiak, worked in teams to identify the best camera locations to view the bears. The team prototyped a design for an underwater salmon camera that will be used to capture images of bears fishing at the base of the salmon ladder. Bears frequent this location because salmon use the ladder to travel over the falls and are easier to catch.
Stay tuned as the project progresses! The site visit is one of the first stages of the project. The project coordinators expect to purchase and install the equipment ahead of the bear season which begins in mid-June. For more information on the project contact Brian Reggiani breggiani@alaska.edu.