After first discovering the bears of Alaskas Katmai National Park on social media, Colorado resident Nolene Metzger decided watching them online wasnt enough. Metzger, who has lived in Colorado for 25 years, traveled to Katmai to see the bears in person during the Fat Bear Week season.

Her interest began around 2023 after she started following the bears online. She calls Otis, an older bear known for his patience while fishing, her gateway bear. Otis passed away in 2023.

I just started watching because of him, Metzger said of Otis.

Her fascination grew as she followed other bears, including Grazer and her cubs. Metzger watched the cubs grow and said seeing the bears in person gave her a different perspective on wildlife.

It was amazing just to see them in person and to be in their presence, because we are really in their home, she explained.

That experience also reinforced the importance of respecting wildlife and maintaining a safe distance. One of Metzgers favorite moments came when she and her husband encountered a bear named Marshmallow while walking between viewing platforms.

We had to back off the trail into the trees so that we were out of the way of the bear, she said.

Metzger also captured video of bears swimming and fishing in the river, including cubs trying to keep up with their mother. YOU CAN WATCH THE VIDEOS AND PICTURES SHARED WITH KOAA AT THE TOP OF THIS ARTICLE.

You could see their legs paddling, especially the little cubs trying to keep up with mom, she said. They would just dive down a little bit and up came a fish in their mouths.

Metzger said visitors dont necessarily have to travel deep into the wilderness to see bears at Katmai. She said she spotted one shortly after getting off the plane.

She also hopes her experience encourages people to support national parks and learn more about wildlife conservation. Metzger contributes to the Katmai Conservancy, which raises money for the park, rangers and research.

She said Fat Bear Week has also become an educational tool, with teachers using the bears to teach children about wildlife and conservation.

For Metzger, the trip offered a lesson that extends beyond Alaska.

People just need to stay aware of whats happening at their national parks and public lands and advocate for those, she said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Buena Vista police officers used recently completed CPR and first aid training to help save the life of a choking infant this week.

According to a social media post by the Buena Vista Police Department, officers were called to a report of an infant who was choking and not breathing on Sunday. Sgt. Frazer Pomfret and Anitta Wroten were the first officers to arrive, followed by Officer Stephen Caffrey. Chaffee County Fire Protection District and Chaffee County EMS also responded.

The department said its officers had completed CPR and first aid recertification Sept. 16, including training on how to respond to choking infants.

The department specifically thanked Evan Brady with Chaffee County EMS, who taught the recent recertification, as well as Chaffee County Sheriff's Office communications officers for quickly dispatching first responders to the call.

The department said the incident underscored the importance of maintaining first aid and emergency response skills.

You can watch video shared by the Buena Vista Police of the rescue at the top of this article.

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Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.