Juneau’s fat bears are on the prowl for trash as winter approaches

Although voting for Fat Bear Week in Katmai National Park closed last month, Juneau’s black bears are packing on the pounds to keep from starving during hibernation, and they’re going for whatever they can find.

At about 9 p.m. on a mid-October evening at the Triangle Club, the bartender and patrons dashed outside at the sight of a hefty black bear in the alleyway across the street. The bear sniffed at a row of garbage cans that are bear-resistant, but not bear-proof.

People banged their fists on a metal trash can and yelled at the bear to go away, for its own sake.

After glancing back at the row of people standing on the sidewalk, the bear heeded the warning and sauntered up the stairs.

According to downtown residents, this scene has replayed most nights this month. That’s becau