Viewers of a Katmai National Park bear cam saw a grim scene this week on Brooks River, where an adult brown bear killed and fed on a young bear cub that was not its child.

Park officials identified the attacker as Bear 806. The cub was a spring offspring of the 10-year-old Bear 909, who had already lost her other cub earlier in the season.

During a live chat, park staff and a resident naturalist said Bear 806 chased down the cub, fed on it for roughly 20 minutes, and then buried the carcass.

Two of Bear 806’s own cubs were present: Biggie, a cub she adopted who is about 2.5 years old, and another cub about 1.5 years old.

Staff said they had been interacting with the victim shortly before the attack.

According to the team, adult female bears can commit infanticide, and this may be the first documented example of that at Brooks River.

As resident naturalist Mike Fitz explained, “We can be absolutely certain that this is not a case of sexually selected infanticide.”

Why does it matter?

Experts said the episode shed light on bear behavior.

With salmon currently abundant in the river, they do not think hunger explains what happened.

Instead, they said the cub’s movement may have triggered a predatory response.

For rangers, the attack also reinforced a basic safety message for people in bear country.

“We tell folks when they arrive at Brooks Camp if you encounter a bear, do not run,” ranger Sarah Bruce said. “You should never run from a bear because although we see these bears doing all kinds of things, they are predators as well.”

What’s being done?

Afterward, Explore.org and park staff held a public discussion about the incident.

The live chat addressed speculation and confirmed details.

One question centered on another bear later seen dragging away the cub’s body, but Fitz said he could not confirm whether it was Bear 909.

Bear 909 was later seen near the scene, chasing other bears away.

“Being able to bear witness to a lot of these things that we wouldn’t be able to witness otherwise without these cameras,” Bruce said, “I constantly have to remind myself that I too am a part of this wild planet.”

She added, “This is just kind of what it means to kind of be alive.”