A trail camera captured a bear in Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve scratching its back, and the National Park Service decided to have a little fun with it.
Since the bear is moving around like its dancing, NPS added a soundtrack — “The Bear Necessities.”
The brown bear had been feeding on salmon in a nearby stream repeatedly rubbing and scratching itself on a tree, the park said. This scratching is a way for the bear to spread its scent and mark territory, according to park officials.
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They added that other mammals in Glacier Bay, such as wolves, also use bear “rub trees” as “scent posts for communication.”
Here is the full post from NPS:
A bear’s necessities: a good back scratch, belly full of berries, and a groovy hip boogie before going on your way. Ah, the simple things in life.
Can’t get enough fat bear content? Glacier Bay’s got ‘em too! This footage captured as recently as October 22 shows a Glacier Bay bear who has been gorging on salmon in a nearby stream. Now that salmon are done spawning, he is continuing to fatten up on bearberry, aka kinnikinnik (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi). After a good meal, who wouldn’t want a good stretch and scratch? Bears and other mammals in Glacier Bay often use ‘rub trees’ to spread their scent and mark their territory, but it sure looks like a nice way to scratch that itch you juuust can’t reach… Scientists use trail cameras to non-invasively monitor animals in Glacier Bay, leaving the wildlife undisturbed and providing valuable info for biologists.
