#247’s most identifying characteristic is his distinctive, protruding lower-left canine tooth.

Overall, he is a medium-sized bear with a rectangular muzzle, tan-tipped claws, a brown coat and wide set ears.

He is sometimes confused with #420. However, #420 is much larger and has several protruding teeth on the right side of his lower jaw.

Bear #247 is distinctive because of his large, protruding canine tooth. As early as 2000 observers at Brooks River reported that his namesake tooth had “been this way for many years” and it does not seem to affect his ability to fish.

He fishes the far pool against the cliff and never seems to approach the platform side of the river. #247 is not seen in areas of high human use.

Although it can never be known for sure, his distinctive tooth is probably the result of a fight with another bear.

Video footage taken of this bear in October 2009 showed him looking thin and slow moving. Unseen injuries and illness can often prevent bears from feeding properly during the critical autumn months. Thin bears in the fall, like #247, may even starve to death in their den.

He was not observed along the Brooks River in 2010.