903 Gully

903 Gully, photographed in July and again in September
903 Gully · NPS composite, July and September

Believed to be Grazer's son, named for his gull-hunting habit, now climbing the hierarchy.

Some bears stick to salmon. Gully put birds on the menu. Born in 2016 and believed to be the son of former champion 128 Grazer, he got an early look at the rewards and risks of Brooks Falls, since Grazer doesn't avoid bringing her cubs to crowded spots. Maybe that gave him the confidence to try new things. In 2020, amid one of the largest salmon runs ever observed at Brooks River, Gully took to charging into resting or feeding flocks of gulls to catch and eat them, while most of the river's bears ignore birds. Hence the nickname.

Today he's large enough to vie for the most productive fishing spots at Brooks Falls, and he's now more dominant than some older bears, including 151 Walker. Spot him by his long, straight muzzle, or in early summer by his Eeyore-like sitting position on the lip of the falls. Maybe he won't need to hunt birds anymore, but expect him to keep showing adaptability and skill against challenging competition. Can the gull-gobbler climb to the top of Mt. Bearlympus?