Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) are a brown bear subspecies. They are native to North America and primarily inhabit Alaska, the northwestern United States, and western Canada. These massive bears are adaptable and live in many different types of habitats, including alpine tundra, woodlands, forests, meadows, riparian areas, and more. Learn more about these incredible brown bears and discover the largest grizzly bear ever kept in a zoo.
How Big Are Regular Grizzlies?
Grizzlies are generally larger than other bears. The only brown bears that are bigger are the Kodiak bears (Ursus arctos middendorffi) of the Kodiak Archipelago in Alaska and some coastal brown bears. Coastal brown bears are the same species as grizzlies — the primary difference is location. Grizzlies are found inland, while coastal brown bears are found near the ocean, where they have access to marine resources.
Adult male grizzlies average from 400 to 600 pounds, while adult females average from 250 to 300 pounds. However, some large individuals can weigh more. For example, some of the largest grizzly bears in Yellowstone Park have weighed over 700 pounds. Grizzlies can stand from 3.5 to 4.5 feet at the shoulder hump. When standing on their back legs, they can reach over 8 feet tall.
The Largest Grizzly Ever Kept in a Zoo
Grizzly bears can stand up to 8 feet tall when standing on their back legs.
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Goliath, an Alaskan brown bear, is sometimes claimed to be the largest grizzly ever kept in captivity. This monstrous bear lived at the Space Farms Zoo and Museum from 1967 to 1991. According to the zoo’s website, Goliath reportedly measured 12 feet tall and weighed 2,000 pounds. Although no official source explicitly states that Goliath was a Kodiak bear, his size and proportions have led some to speculate that he may have been a Kodiak bear or a coastal brown bear. Inland grizzlies have never been recorded to grow so large.
A more recent contender is Ronan, a rescued grizzly bear who now lives at the North Carolina Zoo. Ronan the bear was welcomed to the zoo in 2021, where he is currently thriving. He was transferred from the Reid Park Zoo in Arizona based on recommendations from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. He and his twin sister, Finley, were rescued as cubs in Pablo, Montana, which is northwest of Yellowstone. As grizzlies get older, they are more solitary, so experts believed it was best for the siblings to have their space. Ronan already weighed 740 pounds when he arrived at the North Carolina zoo, but he weighed 750 pounds as of January 2025.
The Largest Grizzly Bear Ever Recorded
The skull of the largest grizzly ever recorded was found in 1976, but it was not scored until almost 30 years later.
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The largest grizzly bear ever recorded was found by Gordon E. Scott in 1976. Scott was hunting near McGrath, Alaska, when he accidentally stumbled over the remains of a large bear. Realizing that it was worth the effort of digging it out to keep, Scott brought home the skull and several vertebrae. After cleaning it, he discovered it was the skull of a mature brown bear. Scott then stored the skull in his attic, where it remained for nearly 30 years.
When he was remodeling his attic, Scott ran across the skull. He decided to score it and discovered the skull was larger than he had thought. After studying the boundaries for grizzlies vs. brown bears in the Boone & Crockett literature, he decided that the skull should be scored as a grizzly bear. Scott had the skull measured by officials of the Boone & Crockett Club, and the skull turned out to be the largest grizzly bear ever recorded. The final score was 27 13/16, with a length of 17 4/16 and a width of 10 9/16.
