See the Truly Massive Size of a Grizzly as It Barrels Towards and Chases a Black Bear

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During the first half of this video, it’s hard to work out why the black bear is clinging so desperately to the tree! It tries to reach the ground a few times but soon turns around and scurries back up into the safety of the branches. Eventually, we see what is causing the problem! At the foot of the tree, a large grizzly bear is loitering and seems to have a problem with the little black bear reaching the ground.

We tend to think of all bears as being huge – and if you see a black bear in the woods it will look big. Black bears are actually half the size of grizzlies – making the latter even more terrifying. One of the most amazing things about this video is that it offers an opportunity to see both species of bear side by side. Black bears may be top predators – but not if they share a range with grizzlies. Scroll down to see the full footage of this extraordinary encounter.

Can Black Bears Climb Trees?

This footage was captured near a highway in Alberta, Canada. Black bears like to live in forested areas just like this where they use the trees both for shelter and as a source of food. They are known to be very good climbers and have short strong and curved claws that help them grip onto the bark. You will also notice that the black bear goes up the tree headfirst and comes down the tree backward. This is different from many other mammals that climb trees headfirst but then turn around and come back down the tree headfirst also.

The black bear scoots down the tree and seems to attempt to gauge the grizzly’s intention. All bears use a “bluffing” tactic – they charge as if they are going for the kill but may change their minds mid-charge if they see the prey will be too much trouble. It seems the black bear intuits too much danger and decides to rely on its climbing skills over making a run for it.

Can Grizzly Bears Climb Trees?

Grizzly bears are a type of brown bear and in general, they are much larger than black bears. It is a myth that brown bears cannot climb trees. In fact, they are able to reach the lower levels of trees quite easily. It’s just that they are not very good at climbing very high and this is mainly due to their large size!

As a matter of fact – grizzlies hesitate to climb very far when a tree doesn’t have branches for it to use to support its massive weight. Grizzly bears are so heavy that their claws alone can’t hold them up for very long. That may be why the huge grizzly in the video doesn’t follow the black bear up the branchless tree. In this clip, it’s clear that the brown bear does not feel comfortable about climbing the tree. It decides to wait it out on the ground until the black bear decides to come back down!

How Large Do Grizzly Bears Get?

The average grizzly reaches a length of eight feet and weighs between 400 – 600 pounds. That’s your average bear – the largest grizzly ever recorded weighed a whopping 1,200 pounds! A grizzly’s size depends on where it lives, how much food is available, and how hospitable the climate is in its habitat.

When considering the weight of a grizzly – it seems that size isn’t everything. Strength is a major factor – and the grizzly is a powerhouse. The massive back hump on a grizzly’s shoulders is a mighty muscle that powers their forelegs and helps them to dig and provides more strength when hunting. Its claws may not be much help when climbing – but at 5 inches long they can deal some damage in a fight. Those long, sharp claws are attached to paws with a swipe force of 7,000 to 25,000 pounds!

One more power factor is bite force. Grizzlies have a PSI of 1,160 – a skull-crushing number. Compare that to a black bear’s bite force of 800 PSI and swipe force of 500 pounds and you have a one-sided fight. No wonder the black bear is afraid!

Is it Normal for Grizzly Bears to Eat Black Bears?

Grizzly bears are omnivores and will eat both plants and other animals. Most of their diet is made up of plant material. However, they will also hunt other animals including elk and deer. Sadly, there are also reports of grizzly bears hunting black bears especially black bear cubs which are easier to catch.

Not only are grizzly bears willing to eat their smaller black bear cousins – they have been witnessed eating other brown bears. There was one report of an adult male killing and eating a female brown bear. This means that grizzlies can be classified as cannibals. We hope that this black bear managed to escape!