Volunteering at Katmai National Park 2024: Meet the Moms of #FatBear Week

Located in remote Alaska, Katmai National Park and Preserve is home to the world’s largest concentration of Alaska Brown Bears — and the home of the popular #Fat Bear Week. In this presentation, Stacey Schmeidel will talk about her experience volunteering at Katmai in the summer of 2024 — a summer that provided great insights into what it means to be a real “Mama Bear.” We’ll meet some of Katmai’s famous moms (and their cubs) — like 435 Holly, 128 Grazer and 402 — and we’ll look at bears’ different mothering styles. We’ll also talk about what we can learn from these moms, and from the other wonders of our national parks. Presented as part of National Park Week — and just a few weeks ahead of Mother’s Day!