The fat bear cams are back, baby

They're back. The wildlife streamers explore.org officially turned on the Alaskan brown bear cams on Monday, June 14. The cameras, situated along the salmon-rich Brooks River in Katmai National Park and Preserve, film the internet-famous bears fishing, fighting, sleeping, playing, and beyond throughout the summer and fall. Bear activity usually ramps up in July, when salmon begin migrating up the river. Here's what to expect when tuning into the bear cams, which are beamed from a remote, mostly roadless part of Alaska, to people globally: July: The salmon run up the Brooks River kicks off in early July, and the bears start to congregate at the river to devour fat, 4,500-calorie sockeye salmon. It's an exciting, phenomenal scene. August: Often the Brooks River and bear cams quiet down in August, as the bears leave to capitalize on other fishing opportunities (the Brooks River salmon run can dwindle by late July). Though during the big salmon run years of late, many bears still stick around, even in August. September: The bears, now often filled-out and rotund, return to the Brooks River (and bear cams) in great numbers to feast on dead and dying salmon. The winter looms large. Read more... More about Fat Bear Week, Bear Cam, Science, and Animals