Kodiak bears (*Ursus arctos middendorffi*) are the largest subspecies of brown bear and rival polar bears as the world's largest land carnivore. The size difference comes from diet: Kodiak bears have access to five species of Pacific salmon that run the island's rivers from May through October. A bear can eat 80-90 pounds of salmon per day during peak runs, packing on fat for winter hibernation. The isolation of Kodiak Island meant the bears evolved without competition from other brown bear populations, becoming distinct enough to be classified as a separate subspecies. They've been big for a long time.

Kodiak Island is the second-largest island in the United States (after Hawaii's Big Island), covering 3,588 square miles of mountains, forest, and coastal terrain. The Alutiiq people have lived here for 7,500 years, their culture intertwined with salmon, sea mammals, and the bears they've always shared space with. Russian colonizers arrived in 1784; the town of Kodiak was Alaska's first European settlement. Today, the island is home to one of America's largest fishing fleets, a Coast Guard base, and a whole lot of bears. Most of the island - the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge - belongs to the bears.

Humans and Kodiak bears share the island through mutual avoidance. Bears are most concentrated in the refuge's salmon streams; humans are most concentrated in Kodiak town and surrounding villages. Encounters happen - bears wander into town, especially during salmon runs - but attacks are rare because both species know the rules. Make noise on trails; don't approach bears; store food properly; give way when paths cross. The system isn't perfect; bears that become habituated to human food are usually killed. But for the most part, 3,500 giants and 13,000 humans coexist on an island that neither is willing to cede.

Kodiak bear viewing has become a significant tourism industry, though the experience is more challenging than at some mainland sites like Katmai. No roads cross the refuge; access is by floatplane or boat to remote camps and lodges. Guides lead small groups to salmon streams where bears congregate during runs - July through September offers the best viewing. The experience is intimate and expensive: close encounters with the world's largest terrestrial predators, in wilderness accessible only by aircraft, at prices that reflect the logistics. Those who go come back changed; there's nothing quite like watching a 1,200-pound bear catch salmon ten meters away.

Kodiak Island is accessible by Alaska Airlines from Anchorage (1 hour flight) or by Alaska Marine Highway ferry (10 hours from Homer). The town of Kodiak has hotels, restaurants, and car rentals. The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge covers most of the island but has no roads; access is by floatplane or boat charter. Bear viewing lodges and guided trips book months in advance for peak season. The Kodiak Alutiiq Museum interprets 7,500 years of Indigenous history. The fishing fleet is active; visitors can sometimes arrange observer trips. Weather is unpredictable; rain is constant. The bears are always there, doing what they've done for 12,000 years, getting big on salmon, sharing their island with humans who know better than to claim it's theirs.