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Naturalist and Alaskan wildlife guide Brad Josephs recently shared what he calls “the longest, most intense bear interaction I have ever witnessed in my 25 years of guiding on the Alaska peninsula” on his YouTube channel.
Intense is right. The battle between the two enormous males was captured on May 8, 2023, at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska.
Josephs told Outside, “In my 25 years guiding brown bear photography and film crew expeditions, this was by far the longest duration and greatest intensity of any bear fight I have ever seen. It just kept going and going. I was astounded by the determination and stamina of both bears as they battled for mating season dominance rights.”
Bear fights are raw, powerful, and often over quickly. These grizzly males are healthy and strong, and neither is ready to give an inch. This confrontation is like a 15-round bout. Male grizzlies weigh on average between 400 – 700 pounds and these big boys are definitely in the heavyweight division.
Think you can pick the winner before watching the video? You may be surprised at the outcome.
Brad Josephs is a wildlife biologist and wilderness guide with a specialty in bear biology and ecology of the north. Josephs is also an expert photographer and has taught photo and film classes for over 20 years. His work focuses mainly on the bears and wolves of Alaska and northwest Canada. You can follow his amazing images and videos on his YouTube Channel, Instagram, and his Bears & Beyond website.