Male black bear ‘Nugget’ wins Introvert Award for his adorable hiding technique

Like the patient Paul, a male black bear (Ursus americanus) named Nugget would rather hang back alone than jump right into the salmon fest. For his solo tendencies, the team at Tongass National Forest in southeastern Alaska have awarded Nugget the 2026 Introvert Award.

“For much of the season, Nugget could be seen wedged between rocks by lower falls,” the U.S. Forest Service team writes. “If you saw a furry, black head with glassy eyes poking out of a crack—that’s Nugget! You could also find him perched on a rock waiting for his turn to fish in the lower falls hierarchy; afraid to assert his dominance in the crowd.”

Nugget was first spotted in the area only two years ago, and is beloved for his small size. He has a reddish coat that shifts to black later in the season. Nugget is often described as “scrappy.” He mostly scavenged during his first season at the creek, but slowly learned to catch salmon.

“The pristine ecosystem around Anan Creek allows even small, scrappy bears like Nugget to thrive,” the Rangers write.

Meet Bears of Anan Creek

The U.S. Forest Service team at Tongass National Forest are currently doling out the Anan Bear Awards to the 39 bears spotted at the Anan Wildlife Observatory over the summer. 

The nation’s largest national forest, Tongass covers most of Southeast Alaska, including the capital city of Juneau. The area includes Mendanhall Glacier (a popular destination for Alaskan cruises), numerous hiking trails, eagles, and plenty of bears. One of the hotspots is Anan Creek, home to one of the largest runs of pink salmon in Southeast Alaska. 

According to Friends of Anan, 39 known bears feast on the salmon at Anan Creek. The population includes 31 black bears and eight brown bears (Ursus arctos). Like their chunky counterparts further north in Katmai National Park, the bears return annually each summer to eat salmon and teach their young how to fish and survive. And also like the fat bears of Katmai, every bear here has their own habits and quirks. 

The U.S. Forest Service tracks and documents every bear and explore.org’s cameras also broadcast live streams of their antics.