Q: What’s the difference between a Kodiak bear and an Alaskan brown bear? I often hear brown bears called Kodiaks but assumed there was some difference.

A: According to the folks at the Visitors Bureau for Kodiak Island, off southern Alaska, there is indeed a distinct difference. Their bears first crossed over to Kodiak on a land bridge about 12,000 years ago, and when the land bridge disappeared, the bears got stranded. Today Kodiaks are genetically and anatomically different than other Alaskan brown bears. Most important, they're a bit larger—up to 1,500 pounds in males, or 100 pounds heavier than the biggest "plain" Alaskan brown bears. Kodiak's spokesperson commented that their local bears are "very well fed" from the abundant salmon streams and berry bushes. "They have no complaints," she says

You have two options for seeing and photographing the Kodiaks:

• An air taxi tour. Operators such as Sea Hawk Air will fly you into such spots as Kodiak Island National Wildlife Refuge, or Katmai National Park & Preserve, where you can see bears (and get expert advice on bear-viewing etiquette).

• Stay in a wilderness lodge. Two good options on Kodiak: Wild Spirit of Alaska Wilderness Adventures or Munsey’s Bear Camp. At these lodges you'll get cabin accommodations and guided tours, and rates starts at about $300 per person per day.

That's not to say, of course, that Alaska's other bears aren't worth a look. For a list of bear-magnet tours around the state, check out Alaska.org's listing Bear-Watching Excursions.