Grizzly Bears

Grizzly Bears are 1 of 8 different subspecies of Brown bear throughout the world. What differentiates Grizzly Bears from other subspecies is mostly their habitat and their diet. Grizzly Bears do not live along the coast like other subspecies do, such as the Kodiak Bear or the Alaska Peninsula Brown Bear. This means that these bears all have distinct diets and behaviors which differ from each other. However, all Brown Bears share common characteristics such as thick, insulating fur, a dish shaped face, large claws (about 4 inches long), short rounded ears, a small tail, fur that ranges from light brown to deep brown, and a large hump on their back. This large hump, which Brown Bears share with their Polar Bears cousins, is actually a large muscle which gives the bears extra strength for digging for food and making dens. It is also very distinctive for telling the difference between Black bears and Brown Bears. Although they look very different, the closest relative of the Brown Bears are Polar Bears. They are so genetically similar that if they breed, they would be able to have cubs. However, due to their stark difference in habitats, this almost never happens.

Grizzly Bears, like Black Bears, are omnivores. This means they eat a combination of vegetation and meat. Grizzlies forage for a large variety of native plants including roots, berries, grasses, and fruits. As Apex predators, they also actively hunt for prey like ground squirrels, moose, elk, deer, and especially fish (like salmon). They will even eat leftover meat from already dead animals, commonly known as carrion. Grizzly Bears will often feed on what is seasonally available and try and put on as much fat as possible before winter. During their time in hibernation, when their food sources are very scarce, Grizzly Bears will lose about 15% to 30% of their total body weight. That can be equivalent to them losing over 100 lbs!

Grizzly Bears face many threats as a species, and are currently listed as threatened by the IUCN red list. As a species whose range used to span most of the North American continent and beyond, they are now mostly found in Alaska and West Canada. Unfortunately, this is due to overhunting from prior centuries, but luckily, as a threatened species, they are now protected under the Endangered Species Act. However, they still face other threats such as vehicle strikes and deforestation. They also face the threat of climate change which is causing shifts in the availability and seasonality of their food sources. In places such as Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, Montana, and Colorado Grizzlies struggle with more human caused threats due to the higher human population and developments in these areas. Luckily, there are things you can do to help the Grizzlies.

Grizzly Bears are amazing animals and just like all wild animals, need respects and space. If you live in an area with Grizzly Bears, make sure you are always aware and cautious to stay out of the way of bears and avoid known bear habitat. Always avoid getting near any bears. Use bear-resistant storage containers and garbage containers to deter bears from thinking trash is food. Do not put toxic chemicals or litter into the environment! This can cause harm to Grizzlies and many other species, help them by disposing of waste properly.
Even if you don’t live in areas with Grizzlies, you can help! By reducing your carbon footprint, or the amount of energy you use, you can help slow climate change. This means turning off lights when you’re not using them, using less water, and if possible, walking or riding your bike instead of driving. You can also teach other about Grizzly Bears! By spreading your knowledge and teaching others about you to help Grizzlies, you can help keep their population rising!