Nature: Bears Of The Last Frontier: City Of Bears

Airs Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV

A close up of bear cub from ""Bears Of The Last Frontier: City Of Bears."

Credit: Joseph Pontecorvo © WNET

Above: A close up of bear cub from ""Bears Of The Last Frontier: City Of Bears."

Friday, July 6, 2012

Get up close and personal with North American bears in NATURE's three-part special "Bears of the Last Frontier." NATURE joins adventurer and bear biologist Chris Morgan on a year-long motorcycle odyssey deep into Alaska’s bear country to explore the amazing resiliency and adaptability of these majestic animals as they struggle to make a living in five dramatically diverse Alaskan ecosystems: coastal, urban, mountain, tundra, and pack ice.

Adventurer and bear biologist Chris Morgan takes a break after an exhausting drive on the way to Anchorage from Homer along a back road.

Enlarge this image

Credit: Courtesy of Joseph Pontecorvo © WNET

Above: Adventurer and bear biologist Chris Morgan takes a break after an exhausting drive on the way to Anchorage from Homer along a back road.

Multimedia Map

During the filming of "Bears of the Last Frontier," Chris and Joe traversed the Alaskan wilderness in search of the state’s wild bear populations. Explore a map by clicking on a marker for video (both from the films and behind-the-scenes), images, and text associated with that ‘location’—markers reference general shaded areas and are not site-specific.

In this episode, bear biologist Chris Morgan sets up camp at a remote spot in the heart of Alaskan wilderness, alongside the largest concentration of grizzlies in the world.

It is June in the Alaska Peninsula. The sun sets well into night and bears are taking advantage of the long days to feed, mate and raise new cubs.

Morgan tracks their progress as they feast on the riches of the season and re-establish the complex hierarchal social dynamics of bear society.

Along the way, he experiences close encounters with bears, observing brutal battles among males during mating season as well as tender moments between a grizzly mom and her cubs.

Up Next:

"Bears Of The Last Frontier: The Road North" airs Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at 8 p.m.

"Bears Of The Last Frontier: Arctic Wanderers" airs Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 8 p.m.

NATURE is on Facebook, and you can follow @PBSNature on Twitter.

Video

Nature: Bears Of The Last Frontier: City Of Bears

Watch the full episode. See more Nature.

Video

Series Preview: Nature: Bears Of The Last Frontier

Watch the full episode. See more Nature.

Above: Get up close and personal with North American bears in NATURE's three-part special "Bears Of The Last Frontier." Nature joins adventurer and bear biologist Chris Morgan on a year-long motorcycle odyssey deep into Alaska’s bear country to explore the amazing resiliency and adaptability of these majestic animals as they struggle to make a living in five dramatically diverse Alaskan ecosystems: coastal, urban, mountain, tundra, and pack ice.

Video

Video Excerpt: City Of Bears: The Manhattan of Bear Country

Watch the full episode. See more Nature.

Above: The Alaskan coast is home to some of the biggest bears in the world. Get up close and personal with North American bears in NATURE's three-part special "Bears of the Last Frontier." In the first episode, "City Of Bears," bear biologist Chris Morgan sets up camp at a remote spot in the heart of Alaskan wilderness, alongside the largest concentration of grizzlies in the world. It is June in the Alaska Peninsula.

Video

Video Excerpt: City Of Bears: Close Encounters

Watch the full episode. See more Nature.

Above: In this video excerpt from "Nature: Bears Of The Last Frontier," Nadie and her cubs come within feet of ecologist and bear biologist Chris Morgan.

Forgot your password?

Become a member and save

© 2013 KPBS