Alaska
Voting begins for Alaska's Fat Bear Week after a contestant was killed in an attack
Voting in Katmai National Park’s famed Fat Bear Week was underway Wednesday after a bear killed one of this year’s competitors and delayed the bracket reveal by a day.
Bear #469 attacked and killed bear #402 on Monday morning at Brooks River in the Alaska park, the National Park Service said in a release, pushing Monday’s bracket reveal to Tuesday.
The attack and the subsequent killing were captured live on webcams that have been set up in the park to follow the bears all summer. The nonprofit organization explore.org, which hosts and broadcasts the bear livestreams, held a live conversation Monday to discuss the attack.
It was not immediately clear what prompted the incident.
“National parks like Katmai protect not only the wonders of nature, but also the harsh realities,” spokesperson Matt Johnson said in the park service release. “Each bear seen on the webcams is competing with others to survive.”
Bear #469 was not included in the bracket, released Tuesday.
How Fat Bear Week works
Fat Bear Week, which the park service calls “an annual celebration of success,” puts 12 bears in the Alaskan Peninsula to the test before they head into hibernation for the winter.
Voting takes place over seven days, culminating in Fat Bear Tuesday, when one bear is crowned the fattest of the season.
“People may vote using any criteria they see fit,” the National Park Service said. “In the end, one bear will reign supreme.”
Explore.org encourages voters to “vote for the bear you believe best exemplifies fatness and success in brown bears.”
“Fat equals survival” for bears, who head into their dens for months without any food and could lose up to one-third of their body weight during that time, the park service said. Surviving hibernation means bulking up on a year’s worth of salmon and other snacks in only six months.
Large male brown bears can weigh up to 1,500 pounds in coastal areas or up to 500 pounds in interior areas, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and they can be 30% to 50% larger than female brown bears.
They weigh the least when they leave hibernation in the spring and can increase their weight by more than 50% by the time they re-enter the den in the fall.
The fat bears of 2024
This year’s contest pits eight bears against one another in the first round of the single-elimination bracket. Voting began Wednesday and will continue Thursday.
Four more bears earned a bye to the second round of voting Friday and Saturday.
In round one, Bear #909 Jr., who won this year’s junior contest, bested Bear #519, a female recently independent from her family. Bear #909 Jr. will now try to beat Bear #128, also known as Grazer, a mother bear who holds last year’s Fat Bear title.
Grazer is described as one of the “most formidable, successful, and adaptable bears” at Brooks River, according to the park service. In July, both of her cubs were “swept over Brooks Falls” toward Bear #32, also known as Chunk, who attacked and injured one of them before Grazer could come to their rescue.
The injured cub died later, and the surviving cub competed in Fat Bear Junior 2024, according to the park service.
Chunk, who the park service said is the “most dominant bear on the Brooks River,” has a bye and will face the winner of the Thursday matchup between Bear #856, a very large adult male who is one of the biggest on the river, and Bear #504, a mother bear and newcomer to the competition.
In another round one faceoff, Bear #903, a smaller male and another Fat Bear Week newbie, beat Bear #909, the mother of the junior contest’s winner. He will go head-to-head with Bear #747, a two-time Fat Bear Week victor so large he was named after an airplane and was once estimated to weigh 1,400 pounds.
The final round one matchup is between Bear #151, a large adult male nicknamed Walker” and Bear #901, a female who returned to the river alone after her first litter of cubs did not survive. The winner will move on to round two to meet Bear #164, a male who has grown a lot in the last few years, now appearing about as tall and as long as Bear #747.
Voting concludes Tuesday, and the fattest bear will be declared the winner.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Two US soldiers were wounded by a brown bear during a training exercise in Alaska on Thursday, the US Army stated.
Anchorage Daily News reported that the soldiers were from the 11th Airborne Division, and that the exercise had been a “land navigation training event” near Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
State wildlife officials said that the bear attack seemed to be a defensive one, from a bear which had recently emerged from its den. Staff members from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game collected evidence at the scene in an attempt to learn more about the bear, such as its species and gender.
“The incident is currently under investigation, and we are working closely with installation authorities and local wildlife officials to gather all relevant information and ensure the safety of all personnel in the area,” the 11th Airborne Division said in a statement, reported ABC News.
ABC News also cited an 11th Airborne Division spokesperson, Lt.-Col. Jo Nederhoed, who said that the two soldiers had been seriously wounded, but were receiving care at a hospital in Anchorage, and had shown improvement by Saturday morning.
“We hope both individuals have a full and quick recovery, and our thoughts are with them during this time,” Fish and Game Regional Supervisor Cyndi Wardlow said in a statement reported by Anchorage Daily News. “In this case, having bear spray with them in the field may have saved their lives.”
Both of the soldiers reportedly had and used bear spray during the attack.
The bear’s condition and whereabouts are currently unknown.
Up, up and away … that’s where most travel prices are going.
It’s true. Not only are our nation’s geopolitical thrusts in the Mideast affecting the cost of your fill-ups, every component of your trip from airfares to car rentals and hotel stays are subject to price hikes.
Imagine filling up a jetliner with jet fuel that’s doubled in price. It’s enough to melt your credit card, regardless of the number of points you get for every dollar spent!
Because the price of oil affects everything, higher prices are eating away at your travel budget in many ways.
Bag fees
There’s lots of press on this. All airlines are increasing their checked-bag fees because of the jump in fuel prices.
Back in 2009, Alaska Airlines instituted a $15 fee for the first checked bag and $25 for the second bag. At the time, there was no charge for the first bag and a second bag was $25.
Last week, Alaska Airlines, along with other major airlines, increased its fees to $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second bag. Delta Air Lines charges the same.
Even if the cost of oil comes down, I don’t expect bag fees will ever be reduced.
Travelers who live in Alaska are somewhat insulated from the new hikes because both Delta and Alaska Airlines offer two free checked bags, with conditions:
1. Alaska offers two free checked bags for travelers flying to or from Alaska who are enrolled in Club 49. This does not affect other flights on Alaska. Separately, ATMOS credit card holders can get a free checked bag. Also, elite members of the ATMOS scheme get one or two free checked bags systemwide.
2. Delta offers two free checked bags for travelers flying to or from Alaska who are SkyMiles members who live in Alaska. Again, this does not apply to other Delta flights. Separately, Delta American Express cardholders can get a free checked bag.
3. Elite-level travelers with the oneworld airline cartel, including Alaska Airlines, can get one or two checked bags on American, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Qantas or other oneworld carriers.
[Anchorage’s international airport rolls out self-driving wheelchairs]
Main Cabin vs. Basic Economy
The spread between the lowest available price, Basic Economy, and a more flexible ticket, Main Cabin, has increased. While the difference used to be $20-$30 each way when the Basic Economy scheme was introduced in 2018, the round-trip upcharge now can exceed $100.
For example, the lowest Basic fare to Portland is $337 round-trip on Alaska Airlines. The upcharge to Main Cabin, with full loyalty points, pre-assigned seats and more flexibility on changes and cancellations, is $447, a 33% upcharge.
This trend is not specifically attributable to the new Iran War. It’s just a cost that continues to rise.
New fees
I’m impressed at the creativity of airline people who dream up new fees. Here are some of my favorites from Alaska Airlines:
1. Phone reservations: $15
2. Partner award booking fee: $12.50
3. Pet travel fee: $100 in the cabin, $200 in the baggage compartment with a kennel
4. Left on board item return fee: $20
On Condor Airlines, operating the only nonstop service from Anchorage to Europe, travelers can choose from four different bundles in economy class. The least-expensive, Economy Zero, from $840 round-trip, features fees for travelers:
1. Carry-on bag fee, up to 8kg: $35; a small bag like a purse always is included for free
2. Checked bag: $75
3. Airport check-in: $30
All three of these fees are included in the next-highest fare bucket, Economy Classic, from $900 round-trip. It’s cheaper to buy the bundle than it is to buy the components a la carte. Seat assignments are additional, from $25 for economy.
Airfares on the rise
There are a few good deals available for travel to select West Coast/Intermountain destinations in May, including:
1. Anchorage-San Francisco on Alaska Airlines, from $307 round-trip. Fly May 15-28 only. Add $90 round-trip for Main cabin.
2. Anchorage-Los Angeles on Alaska Airlines, from $317 round-trip. May 15-25 only. Add $90 round-trip for Main.
3. Anchorage-Phoenix on United, Delta or Alaska, from $267-$287 round-trip. Fly May 8-June 9 only. Add $90-$100 for Main.
4. Anchorage-Denver $357 round-trip on Delta. Fly May 8-June 9 only. Add $90 round-trip for Main.
For travel to other destinations, or later in the summer, be prepared to pay more.
Flying to Hawaii? Alaska Air’s nonstop prices out at $706 round-trip between May 30 and June 6. Add $110 round-trip for Main.
Nonstop flights from Anchorage to Salt Lake City start at $669 round-trip with Delta on May 17. That’s $100 more than the cost for the same flights last month. Add $90 more for Main.
Hotel costs continue to rise, accompanied by pesky resort fees.
The Outrigger on the Beach in Waikiki is a very nice beachfront hotel. It’s not plush, or the nicest property. But it’s solid. The cost is $334 per night.
But there’s more: a $50 per night resort fee, plus a variety of taxes and charges, totaling $112.55 per night.
Down in Seattle, the Sound Hotel in the Belltown neighborhood is marketed by Hilton. The discounted rate for “Honors” members — it’s free to join — is $313.34 per night for a king room in late May. Taxes and fees add an extra $56.40 per night.
There’s no appreciable bump yet for hotel rates as a result of the oil price surge. Yet. But if these hotel rates seem high, they’re in line with hotel rates in Anchorage this summer. At the Sheraton in Anchorage in June, it’s $450 per night, plus $54 in taxes and fees, when booked at Expedia.
Car rentals are not cheap
My go-to site for car rentals is the Costco site, which compares major brands and automatically includes Costco discounts.
In Las Vegas, for a one-day rental in May, Budget charges $67 per day, which includes taxes and fees of $22.77. In Anchorage, the same kind of car, medium SUV, costs $92.97 with Alamo.
The biggest differences so far in car rental rates seems to be the bill you’ll pay when you fill up the tank before returning. There’s no appreciable jump in prices because of the new war.
When it comes to making travel arrangements for the spring and summer, it’s more risky making completely non-refundable arrangements.
I made the decision to purchase most of my summer travel plans in advance, but only after determining I would not need to change the dates. Particularly with airline tickets, it’s expensive to change your dates.
There’s lots of uncertainty regarding travel arrangements, particularly international travel. As fuel prices go up due to oil shortages, travel companies will look for ways to recoup the increased costs. In most cases, those higher costs will be borne by travelers.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz has led to a decrease in oil prices nationally, but Alaska’s senior senator said the state faces a different situation that could threaten rural communities.
“If you can’t produce power because you don’t have the diesel or you just can’t pay the prices, your little communities can collapse,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said at a Friday press conference at the Arctic Encounter Summit in Anchorage.
The price of oil has been a double-edged sword for Alaska. On one hand, the increased price of North Slope oil brings more revenue to the state, but consumer prices can also rise.
North Slope oil prices were $106.36 a barrel on Thursday.
“This is a very precarious time,” Murkowski said. “Our state has enjoyed a bounty because we have benefited from the higher prices of oil that goes into our treasury, but it’s the Alaskans in … the off-road communities that are threatened to be hit most hard.”
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