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Grizzly Bear
(Ursus arctos)
Length:
Height (on 4's)
Weight:
Gestation:
Life Span:
Speed:
 6.5 - 7 ft.
3.5 ft.
330-825 lb.
220 days
25 years
35 mph
Status:
Today 125,000-150,000 grizzly bears still roam the world in isolated, undeveloped areas. The largest populations are in the coniferous forests of the former USSR. There about 100,000 black bears. In Spain, Italy, and France there are now less then 100 grizzlies in remote areas. In the US there are only about one thousand grizzly bears only 1% of what used to be their original range. The rest of the brown bears are in Canada’s western providences and Alaska with about 50,000 grizzly bears.
Report by Catamount

Picture of a Brown Bear

Physical Characteristics
The grizzly bear, or brown bear, has a large head, short tail, and small rounded ears. Their heavy, shaggy fur may be black, cinnamon, auburn, or even blond. They are not adapted for climbing like the smaller black bear. The grizzly bear is a symbol of enormous power. The grizzly has very strong legs and has plantigrade feet.

Habitat and Daily Life
Grizzly bears are found in both North America and Eurasia in mountain forests, open meadows, and river valleys. The territory of the grizzly depends on the concentration of food sources. In areas where there is as much food, such as areas in Alaska, the territory of the grizzly may be over 500 square where as in salmon rich areas the grizzly may only need a little over a square mile of land to support itself. The males’ territory is four to six times larger than that of the females, and will overlap two or more females’ territories.

Hunting and Feeding
Brown bears will eat almost anything. More than 3/4 of the brown bear’s diet is berries, herbs, roots, nuts, flowers, grasses, and other vegetation. Their claws have been adapted for digging up such food. Fish, insects, honey, small mammals, and also elk and moose calves are part of their diet along with the remains of animals.

Hibernation
In late summer to early fall the brown bear will begin eating as much as possible to support itself during the period of hibernation. Weight gain may be up to thirty pounds in one weak! The process of hibernation may last for four to seven months. In warmer climates where a year long food source is available hibernation may not occur. If not, the bear will forge until he or she is very fat and lethargic. Then the bear will enter a cave, dig out, hollow log or tree cavity. The body temperature decreases to about 88 degrees from the normal 101 degrees Fahrenheit. Body functions decrease in half, and the heart beat drops from forty to seventy beats a minute to about eight to twelve beats per minute. Females generally hibernate longer than then males, especially if they are giving birth to new born cubs. Bears do not pass any waste while hibernating.

Reproduction and Cubs
At about three to five years of age the female matures and is ready for her first mate. During June or July (depending on the weather) the female will enter estrous for about three weeks and will mate with one or more males; copulation occurs in a similar manner to that of canines. After a gestation period of 220 days the female with give birth to the female during hibernation. They are blind and hairless, weighing about 8.5-11.5 ounces and are about the size of a chipmunk. They are strong enough to move to suckle on their mother to get a very fatty, nutritious milk. The milk is about 20% fat. When the mother is ready to leave her den to feed, the cubs are as well. They are weaned during July to September of their first year and will stay with her for their first winter. When the mother is ready to mate again, she will send them off to find a territory of their own.