The Events

The Animal Series

The Bear

Introduction

Brown bears are one of the largest bears seen in the wild. These bears can be seen in Northern Eurasia and also North America. In the U.S. there are about 32,500 brown bears and Alaska holds about 95% of them. This carnivorous animal can grow to enormous sizes and they can also be very aggressive if ever seen in the wild.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae
Genus: Ursus
Species: Ursus arctos

Physical Characteristics

Brown bears can have many coat colors like blonde, brown, black, or even a combination of these colors. Brown bears have short tails that range from 4 to 5 inches long. They have large powerful shoulders with massive forearms and paws. These paws can have claws that grow to 6 inches long. Brown bears are extremely powerful and can break the backbones of most of their prey. The male brown bear is usually about 40% larger than the female brown bear. These massive beast’s growth depends greatly on its available food. This species of bear can be anywhere from 220lbs – 1,500lbs in weight.

Habitat

The country with the most brown bears is Russia, holding about 120,000 of the 200,000 brown bears in the world. Some specific habitats that brown bears enjoy consist of wilderness areas with a river or stream, valley areas, mountain forests, and even meadows. Browns bears will usually stay in the same general area but in some cases they will travel up to 800 miles away in search for their most preferred habitat. Most all brown bears will end up in a wooded area with a small stream that holds many salmon.

Food Source

Brown bears are omnivorous, meaning they can eat both meat and plants. They do not depend on one or the other. Their food is usually determined by the season and habitat. Generally the plants that brown bears eat consist of grasses, roots, berries, and nuts. They will even consume insects, but their main source of protein would be meats including rodents, deer, elk, and moose. Browns bears will also feed on carcasses of larger dead animals.

Food Chain

Luckily the brown bear is generally at the top of the food chain. Adult bears have very little to fear when it comes to other predators. Young cubs on the other hand can be the prey of mountain loins, wolves, or even other larger bears. The primary threat to the brown bear is human.

Social Behaviors

Brown bears are mostly solitary but can sometimes gather in a group when a very large source of food is found. A male brown bear will usually find a mate and stay with that bear for a few days or even a couple weeks. Baby cubs are usually born into a litter of 1 – 4 cubs per litter. Once a bear grows up it will then find a mate and the cycle continues.

Interesting Facts

About 95% of the brown bears in the U.S. live in Alaska. The back legs of a bear are so strong that it can lift its entire weight and stand up on them like a human for several seconds. Although brown bears might seem slow and lethargic, they can sprint up to 30mph. They can live up to 25yrs in the wild. The largest recorded weight of a brown bear is 2,400lbs!