Overview

The grizzly bear is a subspecies of brown bear distinguished by the prominent muscle hump over its shoulders, a dish-shaped face, and long pale-tipped guard hairs that give it a grizzled appearance. Adults can weigh over 400 kilograms and run faster than a horse over short distances.

Grizzlies are omnivores with a seasonal menu: grazing on sedges and berries, digging for roots and ground squirrels, fishing salmon in coastal and river systems, and scavenging carcasses. Mothers raise cubs for two to three years, teaching them where and when to find each food source.

Habitat

Grizzlies occupy remote montane forests, alpine meadows, river valleys, and — in Alaska and British Columbia — coastal estuaries during salmon runs. They need large undeveloped territories with diverse seasonal food and secure denning sites for winter.

Countries found

Grizzly Bear in United States

Interesting facts

01
Grizzly bears' shoulder hump is pure muscle for digging and sprinting up to 55 km/h.
02
Coastal grizzlies can gain over a kilogram of weight per day during salmon season.
03
They enter deep winter dens and can lose 30% of their body weight before emerging in spring.

Conservation status

LC — Least Concern

Brown bears globally are Least Concern, but grizzlies in the lower 48 states remain federally protected in most areas after historic range loss. Populations are recovering in parts of Montana, Wyoming, and Washington.