ANAN Bear Project July2024

Educating for Leadership, Inc. (T3 Alliance) has partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to build a bear viewing camera that is solar-powered and accessible 24/7 via the internet.
The Anan Wildlife Observatory, located approximately 30 miles southeast of Wrangell, is a
major focal point of tourism in the region. Anan Wildlife Observatory is one of the few areas in
the world that has both brown and black bears feeding in the same creek at the same time. This is
due to Anan Creek having one of the largest pink salmon runs in Southeast Alaska. The ability to
see both species of bears makes Anan one of the most popular attractions in Wrangell.
As bear viewing grows in popularity, ensuring a minimal impact on wildlife becomes imperative
for sustaining the delicate ecological balance of the region and preserving its allure for future
generations. There is a daily visitor cap at Anan and many people are unable to visit unless they
plan ahead. Having a livestream allows people to experience this unique and amazing
place. A livestream provides visitors and locals with a way to regularly connect with
their favorite bears that they saw when they visited. This creates opportunities for learning and sharing with others unfamiliar with the area, inspiring them to
become advocates for Anan and the Tongass National Forest (TNF).
A livestream provides opportunities for research. By observing the bears' activity
throughout the day and night, we can compare how they behave in response to visitors since
the site is closed from 6pm to 8am. Furthermore, the livestream allows researchers to
observe the difference in bear activity between the lower falls, accessible to visitors, and the
upper falls, which are off-limits to humans. This provides crucial insights into how human
presence impacts bear behavior at the observatory to inform stewardship decisions for the site.