Katmai Bears Second Season Begins

The Katmai bears have begun the second season of their internet reality show. The brown bears of the Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska are featured in the program, which is broadcast live.

Webcams set up throughout the park record the bears’ daily activities. Fans watching the bears now have an opportunity to chat live with other viewers. Additionally, scheduled chats will include question and answer sessions with park rangers and wildlife experts.

As reported by Yahoo News, a new photo sharing feature was also added this season, allowing fans to capture and share snapshots of the Katmai bears. With the addition of the new features and several new webcams, developers hope to make this year’s experience more interactive.

The Katmai National Park is in a remote location, accessible only by float plane. On average 10,000 people visit the park each year. Park ranger Michael Fitz explains that the project is an effort to allow more people to learn about and observe the bears:

“We know that Katmai is a cost-prohibitive place to visit… We still want people to have an understanding of what Katmai is like… so you have a chance to watch the bears and have an opportunity to experience their lives.”

Watching bears may not sound very exciting. However, the Katmai bears provided last season’s viewers with a surprising amount of drama, including a murder.

As reported by CS Monitor, Lurch the bear apparently killed and ate another bear, sparking a heated debate. For some viewers the display was heartbreaking, for others it was an amazing display of strength and survival.

Eight high-definition webcams are broadcasting the Katmai Bears second season. The webcams are all located in areas frequented by the bears. Two of the cameras are set up at the same location with one above, and one under, the water.

**Watch the Katmai bears live: Here

[Image via Flickr]