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A cluster of cameras in the remote Katmai National Park in Alaska is giving armchair wildlife watchers a livestream treat. The cameras capture the antics of the coastal North American brown bears that roam and rule the park, especially focusing on their feeding grounds. One of the bear cams, set up by non-profit media organization Explore.org, is located at Brooks Falls on the camp’s Brooks River where it records the mostly dominant male bears fishing for sockeye salmon. The bears feed to gain as much as 500 kilograms before they settle down for their long winter hibernations.

Coastal brown bears are larger cousins of grizzly bears. Their methods of fishing vary from standing still in the water and waiting for an unsuspecting fish to swim up to actively pursuing prey in a “dash and grab” operation. Some bears might beg for fish from their friends. At Brooks Falls some will even stand with their mouths open waiting for a leaping salmon to fall into its jaws.

Bear viewing can never get boring, finds New York Times reporter Jenna Schnuder, who visited the park this summer. Schunder documents“watching the huge beasts lunge (often unsuccessfully) for a salmon; or, in the “hot tub” section of the falls, watching one bear just hang out with the water swirling around, that same satisfied look on its face that dogs get when napping in the sun.” The salmon trying to avoid the long and deadly claws reaching for them make big leaps up the falls, sometimes to get trapped by the cunning bear that’s taken up position there.

Another camera downstream has captured 40 bears fishing in shallow water with their claws. The bear cams were instant hits when they went online in 2012 have turned the bears into internet celebrities. Ted is an old guy who has emerged again in this year feeding season though many worried he wouldn’t survive the past winter. Aggressive Lurch tries to scare other bears out of their fishing spots.

The cameras are completely solar and wind powered and operate during the 17 hours of daylight of the Alaskan summer.Explore.org founder Charlie Annenberg has said that the purpose of the bear cams is to get people to reconnect with nature.