Grizzly Bears in the Arctic Are Wearing Cameras — and the Footage Is Incredible

On Alaska’s desolate North Slope, grizzly bears lumber through lightning storms, gobble up berries, nap on the beach, encounter wolves, and fight and play with other bears — and it’s all been captured on camera thanks to an innovative research project led by Washington State University and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Twelve grizzlies living near the Arctic Ocean have been outfitted with collar-mounted cameras. The study aims to better understand what these bears hunt and eat as they prepare to hibernate for nearly eight months of the year.

“They really have a really short window to obtain enough food resources to pack on enough fat to survive that period,” Washington State doctoral student Ellery Vincent, who is leading the project with state wildlife biologist Jordan Pruszenski, told Reuters.

Unlike their larger southern cousins, these Arctic grizzlies have very different prey available. Instead of salmon, they rely on animals such as caribou and musk oxen. Scientists are especially interested in how much musk ox the bears consume, noting that only around 300 remain on the North Slope and the population continues to decline.

Videos from the first year of the study have already revealed many details about the bears’ diet — from scavenging carcasses to feasting on berries such as blueberries and soapberries.

Researchers say the data could also help measure the impact of oil-field development in the region and identify where bears den during the winter, allowing those sites to be protected from future development.

Footage released by the team offers a rare glimpse into the daily lives of these remarkable animals. Plans are underway to continue the project for several more years and outfit an additional 24 bears with video collars.

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