Grizzly Bears

Grizzly bears

Appearance: The grizzly bear, or as it is also known, the silvertip bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that lives across much of the North American continent. They are quite large, with their average weights ranging from 290 to 790 lbs. One average, they are 6.5 feet long, and their average shoulder height is roughly 3.3 feet. Their coloration can range from blond to nearly black, however, they are typically brown and their legs are usually a significantly darker shade than the rest of their bodies. Their shoulders have a pronounced hump that is used to distinguish them from black bears.

Temperament: While grizzlys are typically shown as hyper aggressive, easily agitated animals, that is far from a good representation of their personalities. They are actually very shy animals with good memories and an abundance of curiosity. Unlike other animals, such as wolves, most grizzlys are actually not territorial, and share parts of their territory with other bears. However, while they do have certain prosocial aspects, such as reports of older bears mentoring young, unrelated bears, they tend to be solitary in nature. When it is optional, bears will try to avoid people. However, loss of habitat and food sources can force them near human settlements. In the winter, typically in November or December, grizzlys will retreat to their dens to hibernate until spring.

Diet: Grizzlys are opportunistic omnivores. This means they will eat nearly anything that is available to them. While their diet varies greatly with their territory, bears tend to enjoy such things as berries, grasses and shrubs,and whenever available, fish. This is because bears rely on fish for essential fats and oils that cannot be found in plants. However, when meat sources are scarce, many bears will resort to scavenging dead animals to fulfill these needs. Click on grizzly bear animal for more details.