In Hot Water: Salmon of the 21st Century and “Fat Bear Week" Review

  • October 15, 2024 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Eastern Standard Time

Ticket Price Free This event is now over
Description

In a special Zoom program live from Katmai National Park in Alaska, Interpretive Ranger Keith Moore will tell the audience about the importance of salmon in our ecosystem and a review of “Fat Bear Week.” The program is presented by the UT Arboretum Society on Tuesday, October 15 at 7 p.m. EDT.   The program will be recorded and sent to all who register. . Closed captions are available. Please contact Michelle at mcampani@utk.edu for any questions or registration issues.  

This program explores the remarkable life history of the salmon in Alaska, as well as their ecological, cultural, and economic significance.  By addressing the impacts of climate change and habitat degradation, this program encourages us to ask ourselves, "what are we willing to sacrifice for the next generation?"  

“Fat Bear Week,” in its tenth year, has become a media phenomenon, and it has had a tremendous impact on Katmai National Park. The event just ended on October 8th, and this presentation will be a treat for the audience to get a live update from one of the Park’s rangers.  

“Fat Bear Week” is a fun contest where participants vote for the fattest bear of the year. Some of the largest brown bears on Earth make their home at Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska. Brown bears get fat to survive, and “Fat Bear Week” is an annual tournament celebrating their success in preparation for winter hibernation.   

At Katmai, bears are drawn to the large number of salmon readily available from roughly late June through September. Salmon have long since been the lifeblood of the area, supporting Katmai's people, bears and other animals. Fat bears exemplify the richness of this area, a wild region that is home to more brown bears than people and the largest, healthiest runs of sockeye salmon left on the planet. Ranger Moore will share his research and explain why salmon are the life force of so many coastal Alaskan ecosystems.  

Growing up in the swamps of South Florida, Ranger Moore had an early exposure to the natural wonders of an ecologically rich and biodiverse environment.  

“Most of my life has revolved around observing the ecological marvels that unfold around us, and my passion is to share that in a meaningful and relevant way,” said Ranger Moore. “When I was a kid, my parents took me on several trips to the National Parks, including Bryce Canyon, Zion, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton. Backpacking trips during Boy Scouts fueled my desire to seek out wild places, and I knew a career in the outdoor industry was right for me. I pursued a degree from Florida Gulf Coast University in Environmental Studies and Geology.”  

Ranger Moore has worked at several parks and is now an interpretive ranger for Katmai National Park & Preserve | Alagnak Wild River | Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve. 

Photo: Keith James Moore

Date & Time

Tue, Oct 15, 2024 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

UT Arboretum