Tucked away in the rugged beauty of Sitka, Alaska, Fortress of the Bear offers visitors a rare and heartwarming opportunity to come face-to-face with one of the state’s most iconic animals—the mighty brown bear. But this is far more than just a viewing experience. It’s a story of rescue, rehabilitation, and hope.
Each bear at the sanctuary has a unique past—many are orphans that would not have survived in the wild. At Fortress of the Bear, they find safety, care, and a chance to live out their lives in spacious, natural enclosures while helping educate the public about the complex realities of wildlife conservation.
For travelers, a visit here isn’t just about seeing bears up close—it’s about connecting with Alaska’s wilderness on a deeper level, learning how human choices shape animal futures, and discovering how small acts of support can ripple outward to make a lasting difference.
Visitor Experience & Tours
From a covered upper viewing area, visitors observe the bears in three large enclosures. Because the viewing platforms are elevated and protected, you can watch bears up close without disturbing them. Photography is encouraged—bear antics, natural behaviours, feeding times, resting in dens—all these moments make for memorable experiences.
Learning & Interpretive Signage
Information boards, guided talks, and caretaker stories help visitors understand each bear’s back-story, their daily lives, and the broader challenges for bear species in the wild. For example, there’s Toby, the lone female brown bear, who came to Fortress of the Bear after her mother died due to plastic ingestion.
How to Support the Sanctuary
There are several ways visitors and supporters can contribute:
- Donations: monetary contributions help pay for food, vet care, maintenance.
- Wish-List Items: useful supplies or special items that sustain the daily life of the bears.
- Buying Merchandise from the sanctuary’s store (100% of proceeds typically support the mission).
- Volunteering or Internships (if available) or helping to spread awareness via social media.
Challenges & Conservational Impact
Key Threats to Bears
- Habitat loss from logging, human expansion, climate change
- Pollution (plastic ingestion, water contamination)
- Human-bear conflict: bears raiding human camps or towns due to garbage or food left accessible
- Orphaned cubs – mothers killed or displaced
Refugees like Fortress of the Bear are only part of the solution—they rescue and rehabilitate individuals, but broader conservation depends on habitat protection, policy, community involvement.
Measuring Success
Metrics of sanctuary success include:
- Survival and health of resident bears
- Behavior—are they showing natural, unstressed behaviours?
- Visitor education: how many visitors, how many leave with increased awareness
- Community outreach and partnerships with conservation groups
Fortress of the Bear has already seen significant impact in its educational mission and in providing safe housing for orphaned bears from all over Alaska.
Why You Should Visit / Support
Personal Connection with Wildlife
Seeing a bear up close in a sanctuary environment is profoundly different from watching one on a screen. It builds empathy, understanding, and respect for wild animals.
Ethical Tourism
Fortress of the Bear offers an experience that is respectful of animal welfare. Enclosures are designed for bear welfare, human visitors are separated safely, and the bears are not trained or forced to perform—they live naturally.
Boost for Conservation Efforts
Visitor fees, donations, merchandise sales all feed into the sanctuary’s ability to rescue more bears, maintain healthy habitats, and expand education and outreach efforts. Supporting institutions like this is one of the most direct ways a person can help bear conservation on the ground.
Conclusion
Fortress of the Bear is more than a bear refuge—it’s a place of healing, education, and conservation. It rescues and cares for orphaned bears, gives visitors the chance to see bears in environments close to their wild homes, and inspires people to care about wildlife. In a world where human impact often threatens the survival of wild species, refuges like this remind us how compassion, science, and community support can make a real difference.
If you ever have the chance to visit Sitka, Alaska—make the Fortress of the Bear part of your journey. And whether you visit physically, share its story, or contribute however you can, you become part of that difference.
