The brown bear is Kodiak Island's most famous resident. They're cousin to the grizzly, but they've got one thing most bears don't: bulk.

The largest living carnivorous land mammals in the world, male Kodiak brown bears can weigh up to 1,500 pounds and tower nine feet. Females are about half the size.

The reason for their size has to do with what and how much they eat.

Kodiak browns are hardly considered finicky eaters and feast on a wide range of plants and animals, depending on what's in season. In the spring, just after coming out of hibernation and before berries are ripe, grass and herbaceous plants make up the bulk of their diets. Slowly, they add small amounts of protein to their menus, snacking on mice, squirrels and marmots until a steady supply of migrating protein-rich salmon is available. When the salmon runs are strong, Kodiak browns can catch them at a rate of about two fish per hour.

And they don't shy away from the Sitka blacktail deer, which were introduced to Kodiak Island in the 1930s. Hunters and habitat managers at the time knew the habitat and climate would be ideal for the deer. The bears find them ideal, too, and use the deer to supplement a diet mainly built on fish and berries.

Bears love berries, by the way. Kodiak's bears eat gallons of ripe indigenous blueberries, elderberries, salmonberries and cranberries.

Although brown bears are inherently shy, they can be unpredictable and will attack humans in certain circumstances. Usually, when a bear encounters a human, it flees. But if a bear is taken by surprise in a close encounter, it may attack, especially if it feels that its food supply or offspring are threatened.

But keep in mind that such encounters are extremely rare in prime bear-viewing areas on Kodiak. Tour guides and state biologists are so safety conscious that attacks are rare. Only one person this century has been killed by a bear on Kodiak. The people working and living in bear country know how to ensure harmonious bear and human relationships. Informative pamphlets on how to interact with bears are available, and with a few minor precautions, a trip to Kodiak is the chance of a lifetime to see bears living their everyday lives. In an Alaskan summer, that means catching fish.

The best time for bear viewing is April-September. For information on businesses who operate these trips contact the Kodiak Island Convention & Visitors Bureau at (907) 486-4782 (e-mail: kicvb@ptialaska.net) or visit the web site at http://www.kodiak.org

For Alaska Visitor Information write to: Dept. 712, P.O. Box 196710, Anchorage, AK 99519-6710, call 800 862-5275, or visit the web site http://apr.travelalaska.com