Brown Bear

Quick Take

• The name 'Grizzly Bear' is actually a linguistic mistake, and the actual intended meaning makes the animal sound completely different. The grizzly name origin →
• Brown bears can outrun the fastest human alive by a margin that might make you rethink ever being near one. Bear speed vs. humans →
• What a group of brown bears is called makes absolutely no sense for the animal, at least until you think about it. What a bear group is called →
• Brown bears have a scientific name where both words mean the exact same thing, and the story behind it reveals how ancient languages shaped modern science. Scientific name explained →

Brown bears are found in many parts of North America and Eurasia, where they inhabit wooded and mountainous areas. The brown bear is also the national animal of a number of countries in North America, Europe, and Asia.

4 Amazing Brown Bear Facts

• The brown bear is the most widely distributed bear on the globe.
• A group of brown bears is called a sloth or sleuth.
• Before hibernation, the brown bear can eat up to 90 pounds of food a day.
• It appears that brown bears have individual personalities and are extremely intelligent.

Evolution

Brown bears evolved from Ursus etruscus in Asia 800,000 years ago. Genetic analysis indicates they diverged from the cave bear complex 1.2 to 1.4 million years ago. Fossils of this species are found in China from 0.5 million years ago. It spread to Europe and North Africa 250,000 years ago and Alaska 100,000 years ago, before moving south around 12,800 years ago, when giant short-faced bears (Arctodus simus) went extinct.

Paleontologists suggest two migrations of brown bears: inland grizzlies from northern Siberia to central Alaska, and Kodiak bears from Kamchatka to the Alaskan peninsula. Fossils in Labrador, Ohio, Kentucky, and Ontario show they once extended eastward.

Classification and Scientific Name

The brown bear has the scientific name of Ursus arctos and is a type of mammal. The name Ursus is derived from Latin, which means “bear.” Both “ursus” and “arctos” mean bear, with “arctos” being the Greek term for the animal.

The Grizzly Bear is called Ursus arctos horribilis. It is a subspecies of the brown bear and was named because the bear was interpreted as “grisly or horrible” rather than for its coat being grizzled with streaks of gray.

There are several subspecies of the brown bear, though the exact count is taxonomically disputed, including:

• Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis). Also known as the North American brown bear. It weighs between 290 and 600 pounds and is 3.3 feet tall at the shoulder.
• Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi). Also known as the Alaskan brown bear. Lives on the Kodiak Archipelago in Alaska. Weighs up to 1,500 pounds.
• Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos). Also called the European brown bear. Lives throughout Eurasia. Females typically weigh 330 to 660 pounds, while males average 770 to 1,100 pounds and can reach up to 1,430 pounds.
• Marsican brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus). Also known as the Apennine brown bear. Critically endangered species. Males are over 6 feet tall.
• Ussuri brown bear (Ursus arctos lasiotus). Also known as Ezo brown bear, Russian grizzly, and black grizzly. Weighs 880 to 1,200 pounds.
• Alaska Peninsula brown bear (Ursus arctos gyas). Also called peninsular grizzly. Lives on the coast of Alaska. Weighs 800 to 1,200 pounds.
• Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus). Also known as the Himalayan red bear. Weighs 400 to 880 pounds.
• Syrian brown bear (Ursus arctos syriacus). Native to the Middle East.
• Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus). Also called the Far Eastern brown bear. Largest brown bear in Eurasia, weighing up to 1,433 pounds and up to 7.9 feet long, or 9.8 feet tall on hind legs.
• Eastern Siberian brown bear (Ursus arctos collaris). Weighs 300 to 550 pounds.
• Gobi bear (Ursus arctos gobiensis). Called Mazaalai in Mongolia. Critically endangered species.
• Tibetan bear (Ursus arctos pruinosus). Also called the Tibetan blue bear. Very rare to spot one, as there are only 5,000 left in the wild.
• Cantabrian brown bear (Ursus arctos pyrenaicus). The largest animal on the Iberian Peninsula. Weighs 203 to 397 pounds. Various shades of brown and cream.
• Dall Island brown bear (Ursus arctos dalli). Some scientists believe this bear to be a variation of other North American brown bears. DNA analysis is needed.
• ABC Islands bear (Ursus arctos sitkensis). Also called the Sitka brown bear. Very dark-colored fur.
• Stickeen brown bear (Ursus arctos stikeenensis). Lives in British Columbia near the Stikine River.

Extinct Brown Bears

• California grizzly bear (Ursus arctos californicus)
• Atlas bear (Ursus arctos crowtheri)
• Steppe brown bear (Ursus arctos priscus)
• Mexican grizzly bear (Ursus arctos nelsoni)
• Ungava brown bear (Ursus arctos ungavaensis)

Appearance and Behavior

Brown bears are extremely large animals. They can grow to be up to nine feet in body length, standing around three feet tall at the shoulder, and weigh anywhere from 180 to over 1,300 pounds. This means that the brown bear’s weight is about 75 percent as heavy as an Arabian horse, which weighs 930 pounds, though some can be even larger. An Alaskan brown bear can weigh as much as 1,500 pounds.

In the spring, after hibernation, a brown bear may weigh much less. To make up for this, the bear may eat as much as 90 pounds of food per day to gain weight for the coming winter and its hibernation.

They tend to be solitary animals, though females and their cubs are known to congregate at times, especially at Alaskan fishing spots. A group of bears is called a sloth or sleuth, but brown bears mostly live alone.

In winter, brown bears dig dens for hibernation, which are often found on hillsides.

Brown bears are very fast and are known to reach speeds of 30 to 40 miles per hour, as much as 30% faster than the top speed of the fastest human, Usain Bolt. If they are surprised or if a human gets between a mother and cubs, they can be dangerous. The brown bear is also known to be an exceptional swimmer.

Habitat

Brown bears live in the forests and mountains of the northern parts of North America, Asia, and Europe. In Europe, they are found mostly in the woodlands of the mountains. Siberian brown bears prefer the forests, while in North America, they call the alpine meadows and coastlines home. Wherever they live, brown bears prefer habitats with dense cover where they can feel safe and secure.

Diet

Brown bears are omnivores. They are also top-of-the-food-chain predators. They eat other animals, such as rodents or moose. A large portion of their diet, however, consists of nuts, berries, fruit, leaves, and roots.

They also enjoy fishing for salmon and crave the fats that can take them through the long winter of hibernation. Before it hibernates, the brown bear has been known to eat as much as 90 pounds of food per day.

Predators and Threats

As one of the largest omnivores, the brown bear today does not have to worry about being eaten. They must worry about other brown bears. However, there are also other threats.

In the past, brown bears were threatened by big game hunters who hunted them for trophies, hides, and meat.

Poaching can be a problem. Some think that the bear gall bladder has medical benefits, although there is no evidence that this is true.

Logging, mining, deforestation, and habitat destruction threaten the brown bear population. Human-bear conflict is an ongoing issue, as bears can interfere with livestock, water supplies, fruit orchards, and trash bins.

Reproduction, Babies, and Lifespan

Males may fight over females when mating and will guard the female for one to three weeks. They mate from May to July. Females go into the den while pregnant, then give birth during the winter rest, and usually have a pair of cubs. The brown bear cubs will nurse on their mother’s milk until spring and then stay with her for more than two years.

Female bears reproduce only once every three years, as they are busy raising their cubs until the cubs are on their own. Cubs are born blind and naked but grow quickly. By 6 months, the brown bear’s weight can be 55 pounds. In the wild, brown bears can live as long as 20 to 30 years.

Population

It is thought that there are now approximately 110,000 brown bears left in the world. They are among the largest living carnivores, though often thought of as omnivores, and are a high conservation priority.

Within the United States, in Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks, you can see brown bears. Those are the only places in the country where they live. However, there is an effort, through brown bear reintroduction programs, to bring this bear back.

Russia has the highest number of brown bears, with a population of 100,000. The Carpathian Mountains have a large population; countries include Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, and Romania. Other places that have brown bear populations include Palestine, eastern Siberia, and the Himalayan region. They are also in the Atlas Mountains of northwest Africa and on Hokkaido, an island in northern Japan.

5 Brown Bear Paw Facts

• The brown bear has four large paws, and each paw has five toes that end in long claws.
• The two front paws of the brown bear have toes that have longer claws than the back paws, as the brown bear uses its front paws for digging.
• The two back paws of the brown bear are larger than the two front paws, as the brown bear often stands on its hind legs to either survey its surroundings or to get food out of higher places.
• The brown bear uses its front paws with their enormous claws to rip open logs that have bugs inside so that it can eat them.
• The brown bear uses its specially structured paws and legs to run fast, climb trees, and swim well.

5 Brown Bear Teeth Facts

• Brown bears do not normally bite their prey but instead grind and crunch it with their enormous teeth.
• The brown bear has approximately 42 teeth, including large predatory teeth that the bear uses to shred meat and skin.
• The brown bear uses both its large, strong paws and its sharp teeth to catch and kill its prey and will either bite the neck of the animal or swipe it with its immense forearms.
• The brown bear’s molar teeth increase in size toward the back of the mouth, and the bear predominantly uses its largest molars to grind tough food.
• The size of the teeth of the brown bear is dependent on the size of the bear itself, so bigger bears will have bigger teeth than smaller bears.