Brown Bear Studying the Rushing Falls Below

A large brown bear stands in profile on the left of the frame, its head lowered toward a cascade of white water. The fur is a deep chocolate brown with lighter, tawny tones across the shoulders and back, and the small rounded ear stands out against the dark face. The water sweeps down the right side in streaks of white and pale teal, with spray frozen into tiny droplets. The bear's focused, downward stare gives the scene a patient, watchful mood.

The facts identify this as a grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), photographed in Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska. Grizzlies are a North American subspecies of brown bear, and in summer many gather at rivers and waterfalls where salmon are running, since the fish are an important source of fat before winter. Bears often wait at the lip of a fall and watch the water for fish. The strong diagonal of the falls and the empty space on the right suit a widescreen desktop monitor, where desktop icons can sit over the water without covering the bear.