Kodiak brown bears playing

The Kodiak brown bear is classified as "Ursus arctos middendorffi" and is considered a distinct subspecies from mainland brown bears; they have been isolated on the archipelago since the last ice age, about 12,000 years ago. A rich variety of vegetation, salmon, and berries provide ideal habitat for bears, and their population flourishes - estimated at about 3,000 bears within the boundaries of the Kodiak Refuge.