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Brown Bear

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Brown bear (Ursus arctos) images and facts - this gallery includes stock photos of the brown bear against stunning backdrops of its natural habitat in a variety of situations, including eating, fishing, running, swimming, and playing with cubs. Brown bears are widespread throughout the northern hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Grizzly bears, in particular, a subspecies of the brown bear, live in the cool mountain forests, meadows, and river valleys of North America. They measure 5-7 feet long, weigh 500-800 lbs., and have thick, dense fur that ranges in color from dark brown to almost blonde. Adult bears have silver-grey guard hairs that give them their grizzled look, and have a characteristic large hump of muscle on their shoulders that make their front legs extremely powerful.

Conservation status | Least Concern
Scientific classification | Kingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Chordata > Class: Mammalia > Order: Carnivora > Family: Ursidae > Genus: Ursus > Species: U. acrtos
Binomial name | Ursus arctos
Subspecies: Ursus arctos dalli, Ursus arctos gyas, Ursus arctos horribilis, Ursus arctos middendorffi, etc.

Grizzly bears sleep in dens in the winter in the form of hibernation; however, they can easily be awakened and will leave the den during the winter. They tend to be solitary but will congregate peacefully at prime fishing spots to gorge on salmon, building up a store of fat to help them survive the winter. Other sources of food include plants, roots, berries, large insects, carrion, and large and small mammals.

Several subspecies of the brown bear were hunted to extinction in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Due to its global range and it’s current population at 200,000, it is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN; however, brown bear conservation is still closely monitored, and they are federally protected in some areas. Grizzly bears, in particular, are considered threatened in the U.S. and endangered in parts of Canada. Their biggest threat is the man in the form of habitat loss for logging, road building, and mineral exploration.

Grizzly bears can move up to 30 miles an hour despite their large size and can be dangerous to people, especially if the bear is startled or if cubs are present. They normally avoid all contact with people and do not view humans as prey. Mothers defending cubs account for more than 70% of all known grizzly bear attacks on humans.

Grizzly bears mate from early May to July. Although their gestation period is only around 70 days, gestation is suspended, and the fertilized egg does not implant itself in the uterus until the female has put on enough body fat to den for the winter. The females give birth in their den in January or February with a litter size of 1-3 cubs. The cubs remain with the mother for at least two years. Left alone by man, they live 20-25 years.
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