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hrouded in mystery and legend this giant bear appears out of the
mist of Alaska’s past and present. This powerful primeval bear
reigns supreme over the island it has
 occupied
for untold centuries. The Kodiak Bear commands respect and awe that
few other animals in the world can muster. Fearsome and mighty, he
stimulates the imagination and sends shivers up our spine.
History
The Kodiak Bears have been estimated to have lived on
Kodiak Island for more than 12,000 years. At that time sea level was much
lower, and sheet ice is believed to have connected Kodiak with the mainland. As the ice receded, it
isolated the bears on Kodiak from their mainland relatives.
Early man arriving an estimated 7,500 years ago, hunted
the bear. The humans ate the bear meat and used the hides for clothing and
bedding. Also the bear intestines were favored for their strength when used
to make waterproof parkas.
 When the Russians arrived,
they were primarily interested in sea otter pelts but also hunted the Kodiak
Bears. The Russian American Company for instance, between 1796 and
1821 exported 2,650 bear hides from their Alaskan colonies. They were
hunted commercially up until 1925 when the Alaska Game Commission with
support from sportsman put an end to the practice.
There are approximately 3,000 Kodiak Bears today. For
centuries the highest bear density has been the area around Karluk Lake.
That is the same area used by Larsen Bay Lodge!
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