<p>In early October 2013, an unidentified bear died on the beach near the Brooks Camp Campground. While no knows the circumstances of the bear's death, 814 Lurch quickly took advantage of the situation and claimed the carcass for himself.
</p><p>Lurch is the most dominant bear that regularly used the Brooks River in the fall of 2013. His large size allows him to successfully defend carcasses from almost all other bears. By defending and feeding on this carcass, he was able to appropriate a large and high calorie source of food. He essentially guarantees those calories to himself which gives him a competitive advantage over other bears. Barring no injuries, he should be able to survive the winter and spring very easily and be able to compete for mates next year. 814 Lurch demonstrates the successful survival skills of a dominant brown bear.
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Thanks to Chad Billock for sharing these photos.
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/99350217@N03">Katmai National Park and Preserve</a>
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/katmainps/10462845584/">814 Lurch on a bear carcass</a>