What are three facts about brown bears?
Ten facts about brown bears
- There are around 180,000 to 200,000 brown bears worldwide. ...
- The brown bear can reach a weight of between 150 and 370 kilogrammes depending on age, sex and season.
- Despite their weight, the animals can cover short distances at speeds of up to 50 km/h.
- Brown bears are generally loners who will only seek a mate for short periods.
Are brown bears and black bears the same thing?
Color is not reliable for differentiating brown bears from black bears because both species have many color phases. Black bears occur in many hues of brown, and even shades of blue and white. Brown bears range from dark brown through light blond.
Is the brown bear the same thing as a grizzly bear?
All grizzly bears are brown bears , but not all brown bears are grizzly bears. Grizzly bears and brown bears are the same species (Ursus arctos), but grizzly bears are currently considered to be a separate subspecies (U. a. horribilis).
What is the life span of a brown bear?
The largest of them are found along the coasts of British Columbia and Alaska where they often rival their closest relative, the polar bear, in size. What Is the Average Lifespan of a Brown Bear? Brown bears have a naturally long lifespan, living to around 20 to 30 years in the wild.
Do brown bears exist?
Brown bears (Ursus arctos) can be distinguished from American black and polar bears by their distinct shoulder hump, dish-shaped face, and long claws. They can vary in color from black to blonde. Brown bears, also known as grizzly bears, can be found in many of our national parks.
Is a brown bear and a grizzly bear the same thing?
Brown/Grizzly Bears Brown and grizzly are common names for the same species, Ursus arctos; the difference between the two is geographic location, which influences diet, size, and behavior.
Are black bears and brown bears the same?
Black bears occur in many hues of brown, and even shades of blue and white. Brown bears range from dark brown through light blond. Compared to black bears (Ursus americanus), brown bears (Ursus arctos) usually are larger, have a more prominent shoulder hump, shorter fuzzier ears, and longer, straighter claws.
Which is bigger brown bear or grizzly?
Large male brown bears in Katmai can routinely weigh over 1000 pounds (454 kg) in the fall. In contrast, grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park weigh far less on average. There have been no documented cases of grizzly bears weighing over 900 pounds (408 kg) in Yellowstone.
Which type of bear kills the most humans?
black bearsMost fatal attacks by black bears have been judged as predatory. Bear researcher Stephen Herrero determined that in black bear attacks, the bear acted as a predator in 88 percent of fatal incidents.
Are brown bears more aggressive than black bears?
Brown bears are stronger, bigger, and more aggressive than black bears. Brown bears are much larger than black bears and they weigh more on average. Brown bears are more aggressive and less willing to flee from a threat than black bears.
Is a Kodiak bear a grizzly?
Kodiak bears are a unique subspecies of the brown or grizzly bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi). They live exclusively on the islands in the Kodiak Archipelago and have been isolated from other bears for about 12,000 years. There are about 3,500 Kodiak bears; a density of about 0.7 bears per square mile.
Who is stronger polar bear or grizzly?
However, grizzly bears are tougher than polar bears as they possess stronger and longer claws and an elongated skull with sharp and long canines that can completely separate the flesh from bone.
Can grizzly and black bears mate?
Species and subspecies of bear known to have produced offspring with another bear species or subspecies include black bears, grizzly bears and polar bears, all of which are members of the genus Ursus. Bears not included in Ursus, such as the giant panda, are expected to be unable to produce hybrids with other bears.
Which is the strongest bear?
polar bearAmong all bear species, both the grizzly bear and polar bear take the crown as the strongest. Weighing more than around 800 pounds — the maximum recorded size is twice that figure — an individual male grizzly is equivalent to around five humans in strength … and even more when enraged.
Is a bear stronger than a gorilla?
Although a silverback gorilla is very fast, quite strong, and has a longer arm span, it is unlikely that a silverback could defeat the much larger and faster grizzly bear in a fair fight. The one advantage that a Silverback might have is in the enormous strength of its muscles.
What is the largest bear on earth?
the polar bearIt is a close call, but the polar bear is generally considered the largest bear species on Earth. A close second is the brown bear, specifically the Kodiak bear....Answer.Polar BearBrown BearAverage Weight of Mature Male900-1,500 pounds500-900 poundsHeaviest Recorded2,210 pounds2,500+ pounds1 more row•Nov 19, 2019
Is a Kodiak bear a grizzly?
Kodiak bears are a unique subspecies of the brown or grizzly bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi). They live exclusively on the islands in the Kodiak Archipelago and have been isolated from other bears for about 12,000 years. There are about 3,500 Kodiak bears; a density of about 0.7 bears per square mile.
What is the largest bear on earth?
the polar bearIt is a close call, but the polar bear is generally considered the largest bear species on Earth. A close second is the brown bear, specifically the Kodiak bear....Answer.Polar BearBrown BearAverage Weight of Mature Male900-1,500 pounds500-900 poundsHeaviest Recorded2,210 pounds2,500+ pounds1 more row•Nov 19, 2019
What's bigger a grizzly or Kodiak?
Kodiak bears are sometimes called grizzlies, due to superficial physical similarities with grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis). However, Kodiak bears are larger than grizzly bears, and the ranges of these two subspecies do not overlap.
What type of bear is the biggest?
#1: Polar Bear The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is the largest bear species in the world and is also the largest living land carnivore.
What is the subspecies of brown bears called?
In North America, the populations of brown bears are called grizzly bears, while the subspecies that inhabits the Kodiak Islands of Alaska is known as the Kodiak bear.
What is a brown bear?
For the athletics teams at Brown University, see Brown Bears. For the research ship, see MV Brown Bear. The brown bear ( Ursus arctos) is a large bear species found across Eurasia and North America. In North America, the populations of brown bears are called grizzly bears, while the subspecies ...
What are the two types of bears?
In North America, two types of the subspecies Ursus arctos horribilis are generally recognized—the coastal brown bear and the inland grizzly bear; these two types broadly define the range of sizes of all brown bear subspecies.
What is the most variable size of a bear?
Brown bears are highly variable in size. Eurasian brown bears often fall around the middle to low sizes for the species. The brown bear is the most variable in size of modern bears. The typical size depends upon which population it is from, and most accepted subtypes vary widely in size.
How many brown bears are there in Europe?
In Europe, there are 14,000 brown bears in ten fragmented populations, from Spain (estimated at only 20–25 animals in the Pyrenees in 2010, in a range shared between Spain, France and Andorra, and some 210 animals in Asturias, Cantabria, Galicia and León, in the Picos de Europa and adjacent areas in 2013) in the west, to Russia in the east, and from Sweden and Finland in the north to Romania (5000–6000), Bulgaria (900–1200), Slovakia (with about 600–800 animals), Slovenia (500–700 animals) and Greece (with about 200 animals) in the south.
How big are Russian brown bears?
Skull lengths of Russian brown bears tend to be 31.5 to 45.5 centimetres (12.4 to 17.9 in) for males, and 27.5 to 39.7 centimetres (10.8 to 15.6 in) for females. The width of the zygomatic arches in males is 17.5 to 27.7 centimetres (6.9 to 11 in), and 14.7 to 24.7 centimetres (5.8 to 9.7 in) in females.
How big is a brown bear?
Skeleton. The normal range of physical dimensions for a brown bear is a head-and-body length of 1.4 to 2.8 m (4 ft 7 in to 9 ft 2 in) and a shoulder height of 70 to 153 cm (2 ft 4 in to 5 ft 0 in).
What is the difference between a grizzly bear and a brown bear?
Even though grizzlies are considered to be a subspecies of brown bear, the difference between a grizzly bear and a brown bear is fairly arbitrary. In North America, brown bears are generally considered to be those of the species that have access to coastal food resources like salmon.
When do brown bears eat?
Late June through the end of July and early September through mid October is when bear numbers are greatest along the Brooks River. The brown bears of Katmai are eating machines. A Katmai bear must eat a full year’s worth of food in 6 months to ensure its survival.
Why don't black bears live in Katmai?
Black bears may not inhabit Katmai because of competition with brown bears and a lack of preferred black bear habitat ( forested areas). In winter, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) commonly occur as far south as St. Lawrence Island, just south of the Bering Strait. They may even reach St. Matthew Island and the Kuskokwim Delta, ...
How much does a grizzly bear weigh?
There have been no documented cases of grizzly bears weighing over 900 pounds (408 kg) in Yellowstone.
What species of bears are in Katmai?
What species of bear occur in Katmai? Brown bears ( Ursus arctos) are the only bears to regularly inhabit Katmai National Park and Preserve. In 2005 there was one verified sighting of a black bear ( Ursus americanus) in Katmai. This is the only verified sighting of a black bear in Katmai’s history.
When is the best time to see bears in Katmai National Park?
Bear viewing along the Brooks River is best in July and September. At other times of the year, like June and August, less food is available along the Brooks River so bears aren’t seen as frequently. Springtime is a lean season for bears who live in the interior of Katmai National Park.
Where do Katmai bears fish?
During the peak of the salmon migration in July, bears will fish for salmon all along the Brooks River, but bears will be especially concentrated at Brooks Falls.
How long have brown bears been around?
The species to which it belongs developed more than 500,000 years ago, and researchers have found that the Eurasian brown bear separated about 850,000 years ago, with one branch based in Western Europe and the other branch in Western Europe, Russia, Eastern Europe and Asia.
What is the name of the brown bear?
Ursus. Species: U. arctos. Subspecies: U. a. arctos. Trinomial name. Ursus arctos arctos. Linnaeus, 1758. The Eurasian brown bear ( Ursus arctos arctos) is one of the most common subspecies of the brown bear, and is found in much of Eurasia.
What is the bear symbol?
The bear is traditionally regarded as the symbol of Russian (military and political) might. It is also Finland 's national animal; and in Croatia, a brown bear is depicted on the reverse of the Croatian 5 kuna coin, minted since 1993.
What percentage of the diet of a brown bear is meat?
Today, meat makes up little more than 10–15% of its diet.
How big do brown bears get?
The head normally is quite round in shape and has relatively small rounded ears, a wide skull and a mouth equipped with 42 teeth, including predatory teeth. It has a powerful bone structure and large paws equipped with claws that can grow up to 10 cm in length. The weight varies depending on habitat and the time of the year. A full-grown male weighs on average between 250 and 300 kilograms (550 and 660 lb), and reaches a maximum weight of 481 kg (1,058 lb) and length of nearly 2.5 m (8.2 ft). Females typically range between 150 and 250 kg (330 and 550 lb). They have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years in the wild.
Where did the bears come from?
Bears from these populations spread to southern Scandinavia after the last ice age. The northern bear populations originate in the Finnish/Russian population. Probably their ancestors survived the ice age in the ice-free areas west of the Ural Mountains, and thereafter spread to Northern Europe.
Where did brown bears live during the Pleistocene Ice Age?
It is known from mtDNA studies that during the Pleistocene ice age it was too cold for the brown bear to survive in Europe except in three places: Russia, Spain, and the Balkans. Modern research has made it possible to track the origin of the subspecies.
What color are grizzly bears?
The grizzly bear features a brown to buff fur color (sometimes appearing almost white) with silver or pale tips, especially around the back and shoulders. Most other types of brown bears have a more standard brown appearance.
How big is a grizzly bear?
The grizzly bear has a wide range of different sizes. It tops out at an impressive 8 feet and around 900 pounds, but some individuals are only about 5 feet long and weigh a few hundred pounds. Coastal grizzlies are generally much larger than inland grizzlies, and males are much larger than females. While this size may seem impressive, it cannot quite compare to the massive size of the Kodiak bear, widely regarded as the largest living land carnivore in the world, which can reach up to 10 feet long and an astonishing 1,700 pounds. A grizzly is about the same size as the Eurasian brown bear though.
What is a grizzly bear's face?
The grizzly bear is characterized by a dished facial profile, long claws, short and rounded ears, and a particularly prominent shoulder hump. A dished face essentially means it has a concave shape; it curves strongly inward at the snout. Many other types of brown bears have a slightly flatter facial profile.
What is the largest land predator in Alaska?
The Kodiak bear is another subspecies of the brown bear. It is endemic to the Kodiak Archipelago in southern Alaska and generally doesn’t overlap too much with the grizzly. Even if you didn’t know their location, you could still probably distinguish them from their massive size. Weighing up to 1,700 pounds, the Kodiak bear is considered to be the largest land predators on the planet.
Do brown bears attack people?
Despite the enormous size, neither one is likely to attack a person unless it feels threatened in some way. When attacks do occur, they’re often a result of a mother protecting her cubs. What many people may not know is that brown bears, despite being predatory in nature, mostly like to eat vegetable matter. The long claws and muscular body help them dig up roots and bulbs. When they do eat meat, it’s usually fish. Nevertheless, if you encounter a bear in the wild, it is not a good idea to disturb it.
Is a grizzly bear a subspecies of a brown bear?
But what many people may not know is that the grizzly bear is not a separate species at all. It’s actually a subspecies of the brown bear, which occurs all over the world. Other common subspecies include the Eurasian brown bear, the Kodiak bear, and the Syrian brown bear.
Why are brown bears so big?
This is a result of the greater abundance of protein-rich food along the coast.
Where are black bears found?
They are also found in a few small areas in the southwest and southeast. Black bear are the most timid and least dangerous of the bears found in North America. They will try to avoid humans as much as humans try ...
What is the food that polar bears eat?
Polar bears are easily identified by their white fur. They also have the hump on their shoulders like that of grizzly bear. Since plants and berries are not readily available where they live, they are considered more carnivorous than other bears. For most polar bears, seals are the main part of their diet.
What is a grizzly bear called?
Generally they are called grizzly bear when they are inland. In coastal regions of Alaska and Canada they are generally referred to as brown bear. These bears are much more aggressive than a black bear. While the majority of their living range is Alaska and Northwestern Canada, they are also found in small areas of the lower 48 states, ...
How big are polar bears?
Polar Bear. Polar bears are the largest of the three bears found in North America. They range from about seven hundred pounds up to about fifteen hundred pounds. Not only are they the largest bear found in North America, they are also the most dangerous to humans.
What are the claws of a grizzly bear?
The claws on a grizzly bear are lighter, longer and straighter than the claws of a black bear. Polar Bears: A momma polar bear with two cubs following close behind. Image copyright iStockphoto / ekvals. North American Bear Information.
Which bear has the largest ears?
Another characteristic is that black bears generally have larger ears than a grizzly. Grizzly Bear: This image shows the distinctive hump that is located on a grizzly bear's back between the front shoulder blades. Image copyright iStockphoto / PaulTessier. ADVERTISEMENT.
How to tell if a grizzly bear is black or brown?
Grizzly bears can be distinguished from black bears by longer, curved claws, humped shoulders, and a face that appears concave. Grizzlies are often dark brown but can vary from blonde to nearly black. The long guard hairs on their backs and shoulders frequently have white tips and give the bears a grizzled appearance, hence the name “grizzly.”
How to get a bear to know you are in the area?
Make a habit of talking, singing, blowing a whistle, or clapping your hands so that a bear knows you are in the area. Camp smart: Avoid camping where there are signs that bears have been in the area, like scat and tracks. Do not leave food or other bear attractants in the open or in tents.
How old are grizzly bears?
Grizzly bears are long-lived and can reach up to 25 years of age. Geographic range. Grizzly bears once occurred in most of Washington, but are now restricted to remote areas of the Selkirk Mountains and certain places near the northern border of Washington between these two ecosystems.
Why are grizzly populations so small in Washington?
Grizzly populations in Washington are very small and isolated due to habitat fragmentation caused by human settlement and highways , which makes the species more vulnerable to inbreeding, wildfire, illegal harvest and other threats.
How to keep bears from smelling food?
Bears have an excellent sense of smell, so bring at least 30 feet of rope, storage bags, and carabiners for hanging food. Use bear-resistant containers: A good method for storing food and other smelly items that attract bears, these containers can be purchased or rented from outdoor shops.
Where do grizzly bears live?
Grizzly bears are now found mostly in arctic tundra, alpine tundra, and subalpine mountain forests, but once occurred in a wider variety of habitats, including open prairie, brushlands, riparian woodlands, and semi-desert scrub. Most populations require huge areas of habitat remote from most human activity.
Is a grizzly bear endangered?
Due to the grizzly bears being a federally threatened and state-listed endangered species, killing one, either unintentionally or intentionally, can bring extremely costly fines and penalties. Mortality from hunters mistaking grizzly bears for black bears is a threat.
Overview
Distribution and habitat
Brown bears were once native to Europe, much of Asia, the Atlas Mountains of Africa, and North America, but are now extirpated in some areas, and their populations have greatly decreased in other areas. There are approximately 200,000 brown bears left in the world. The largest populations are in Russia with 120,000, the United States with 32,500, and Canada with around 25,000. Brow…
Evolution and taxonomy
The brown bear is sometimes referred to as the bruin, from Middle English. This name originated in the fable History of Reynard the Fox translated by William Caxton from Middle Dutch bruun or bruyn, meaning brown (the color). In the mid-19th century United States, the brown bear was termed "Old Ephraim" and sometimes as "Moccasin Joe".
Description
The brown bear is the most variable in size of modern bears. The typical size depends upon which population it is from, and most accepted subtypes vary widely in size. This is in part due to sexual dimorphism, as male brown bears average at least 30% larger in most subtypes. Individual bears also vary in size seasonally, weighing the least in spring due to lack of foraging during hibernati…
Behavior and life history
The brown bear is often described as nocturnal. However, it frequently seems to peak in activity in the morning and early evening hours. Studies have shown that activity throughout the range can occur at nearly any time of night or day, with bears who dwell in areas with more extensive human contact being more likely to be fully nocturnal. Furthermore, yearling and newly independent bears are m…
Relationship with humans
Brown bears usually avoid areas where extensive development or urbanization has occurred, unlike the smaller, more inoffensive American black bear which can adapt to peri-urban regions. Under many circumstances, extensive human development may cause brown bears to alter their home ranges. High road densities (both paved and gravel roads) are often associated with higher mort…
See also
• List of fatal bear attacks in North America
• Sankebetsu brown bear incident
Bibliography
• Heptner V.G.; Sludskii, A.A. (1992). Mammals of the Soviet Union, Volume II, Part 2. Leiden u.a.: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-08876-4.
• Vaisfeld, M.A. and Chestin I. E., ed. (1993). Bears: Brown Bear, Polar Bear, Asian Black Bear. Distribution, ecology, use and protection (in Russian and English). Moscow: Nauka. ISBN 978-5020035676.
Overview
The Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) is one of the most common subspecies of the brown bear, and is found in much of Eurasia. It is also called the European brown bear, common brown bear, common bear, and colloquially by many other names. The genetic diversity of present-day brown bears (Ursus arctos) has been extensively studied over the years and appears to be geograp…
Distribution
Brown bears could once be found across most of Eurasia, compared to the more limited range today.
Although included as of Least Concern on the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (which refers to the global species, not to the Eurasian brown bear specifically), local populations are becoming increasingly scarce. As the IUCN itself adds: "Least Concern does not always mean th…
Description
The Eurasian brown bear has brown fur, which ranges from yellowish-brown to dark brown, red-brown, and almost black in some cases; albinism has also been recorded. The fur is dense to varying degrees and the hair can grow up to 10 cm (3.9 in) in length. The head normally is quite round in shape and has relatively small rounded ears, a wide skull and a mouth equipped with 42 teeth, including predatory teeth. It has a powerful bone structure and large paws equipped with c…
History
Brown bears were present in Britain until no later than AD 1000, when they had been exterminated through over-hunting.
Eurasian brown bears were used in Ancient Rome for fighting in arenas. The strongest bears apparently came from Caledonia and Dalmatia.
In antiquity, the Eurasian brown bear was largely carnivorous, with 80% of its diet consisting of a…
Species origin
The oldest fossils are from the Choukoutien, China, and date back about 500,000 years. It is known from mtDNA studies that during the Pleistocene ice age it was too cold for the brown bear to survive in Europe except in three places: Russia, Spain, and the Balkans.
Modern research has made it possible to track the origin of the subspecies. The species to which it belongs developed more than 500,000 years ago, and researchers have found that the Eurasia…
Cultural depictions
The historic distribution of bears and the impression the Eurasian brown bear has made on people are reflected in the names of a number of localities (some notable examples include Berlin, Bern, Medvednica, Otepää and Ayu-Dag), as well as personal names—for example, Xiong, Bernard, Arthur, Ursula, Urs, Ursicinus, Orsolya, Björn, Nedved, Medvedev, and Otso.
Bears of this subspecies appear very frequently in the fairy tales and fables of Europe, in particul…
See also
• Bear conservation
• Marsican brown bear
• Cantabrian brown bear
• Syrian brown bear
External links
• Det Skandinaviske Bjørneprosjektet
• Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe