World of Animals
Featured Animals
General
The Grizzly bear is the fiercest and most aggressive of all bears. It is very interesting to learn about, so we hope you enjoy! To jump to a specific section, use the Quick Jump below by clicking on the headings.
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Habitat
and Habits
-found only in North America
-lives in wild mountains and thick forests
-largest US population is located in Yellowstone National Park
-found in Canada, Alaska, and on reserves in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Washington
-has no enemies or predators in natural home
-not especially territorial
-will tolerate other
grizzlies
-rarely fights
-forage for food in spring and summer
-feed heavily in fall to build reserves for winter hibernation
-dig dens in fall
-most move into their dens when the ground is snow covered
-they then stay in the
dens until spring
-fall into torpor (deep sleep) during cold weather
-after leaving dens in the spring they look for food
-they feed near the
dens and return to them at night until the weather gets warmer
-mothers are very defensive of their cubs
-many cubs die from
attacks by other bears
Food
and Feeding
-is an omnivore
-eats fruits, berries, nuts, wild roots, fish, and rodents
-occasionally eats other larger mammals
-sometimes dig out smaller prey like ground squirrels with their claws
-also eats carrion (dead flesh)
-can smell carrion from
18 miles away
-teeth are adapted to suit such a varied diet
-when killing larger mammals, they kill young, old, weak, or wounded animals
-a large kill can feed
a sow and her cubs for four or five days
-the mother will hide
the carcass from other animals between feeding times
-skilled at catching fish
-favorite fish is salmon
Grizzly
Bear and Man
-grizzlies were once widespread throughout North America
-it is being wiped out by hunting and habitat disturbance
-listed as an endangered species in 1975
-it is still protected
Links for More Information
-The
Bear Den