Big Grizzly Bears

Biggest Grizzly Bear Boar Seen this Year Happy with Eating Greens for Now

In Spring and early Summer, grizzly bears consume a variety of greens as part of their diet. Grizzly bears feed on new shoots and blades of grass that emerge during the spring and a wide range of herbaceous plants and forbs. These include plants like dandelions, clovers, fireweed, cow parsnip, and other flowering plants that grow in meadows, clearings, and open areas. Plant species consumed by grizzly bears vary based on their location and the availability of vegetation in their habitat. Grizzly bears are opportunistic feeders and can alter their diet according to seasonal changes and local food availability.

Big Beautiful Grizzly Sow First Sighting this Year!

Our First Sighting of this Big Girl out of Hibernation was a nice surprise. She was in Great condition.. looking really Big and Strong as She begins her travels. Her Paws and Nose were never still for long as she searches for scents of substance. The beginning shows a clip of her Hunting Ground Squirrels along with when she had a newborn Cub Last Year, to compare. Her Gifted structure looks even bigger and fuller this year. We were hoping to see Her trying Motherhood again this year, but no luck on that account. Regardless, it was an incredible encounter that took place in a perfect setting with lots of safe space to observe. She is a Great Teacher that the Rockies are Lucky to Have! *We had a little fun on the beginning of this.. hope it brings a smile your way.

Biggest Spring Grizzly in Alberta's Rockies So Far

This awesome Grizzly in Alberta's Rockies may look menacing, but during these peaceful moments, his complete focus was on Spring roots after a long hibernation.

She's Got Moves! ..Big Grizzly Bear Sow's Agility on the Hunt.

She's Got Moves! ..Big Grizzly Bear Sow Displaying some Agility on the Hunt. Earlier, this Grizzly Bear caught an Elk calf and now she is hunting ground squirrels. This Big Grizzly was the Mum of One very Healthy Cub a couple weeks ago, but lost it likely to another big Boar. She has travelled up to 60km in the last few days. They do have such a tough life, but here her calories in were more than calories out. We sure hope to see this awesome Grizzly Bear produce offspring again soon.

Large Grizzly Bear in a Jasper Spring, Digging for Nutrients

Grizzly Bears' food sources vary with season and habitat, for instance... a plant that is highly nutritious in spring may have little food value in the summer. Sweetvetch roots for example, are an energy rich food source for Grizzly Bears when they wake up in the Spring. We captured this Video of a very Large Grizzly in Canada's Rocky Mountains.

Male Grizzly in Late Spring using His Digging Tools

Emerging from Hibernation in Canada's Rocky Mountains, this Gardener of the Wild's Digging tools are especially important as food is very scarce. Roaming Grizzly's remain lethargic, losing weight possibly into late Spring.

Large Male Grizzly Walking in Snow just out of Hibernation

Large Male Grizzly Walking through the Snow after Emerging from Hibernation in Canada's Rockies in Spring.

Big Grizzly Mum After Losing her Cub

This was the first encounter with this big Grizzly Bear Sow after she lost her Cub Of the Year. It was tough to find out as the cub appeared to be the biggest and healthiest cub of the year we have ever seen. Many are looking forward to seeing this Grizzly Mum have offspring again next year as she is so healthy herself.

Wild Grizzly Bears

Grizzly Bear - Brown Bear Species

Genetic science reveals the grizzly to be a subspecies of the brown bear (Ursus arctos). In North America, "brown bear" is also known as "grizzly bear", being all the same species, Ursus arctos.

Coastal grizzly bears are larger and darker than inland grizzlies. They were considered a different species from grizzlies at one time. Kodiak grizzly bears also were considered a distinct species. At that time there were five different species of brown bear, including these three in North America.

Grizzly Bear Size

Female grizzlies usually weigh 130–180 kg (290–400 lb), while adult male grizzly bears weigh on average 180–360 kg (400–790 lb). Female Grizzly Bear average weights would be 136 kg (300 lb) inland and 227 kg (500 lb) coastal. One study found that the average weight for an inland male grizzly bear was around 272 kilograms (600 pounds), and the average weight for a coastal male was around 408 kg (899 lb). Newborn grizzly bear cubs uausally weigh less than 500 grams (1.1 lb).

Grizzly Bear Fur Color

Although grizzlies color can be blond to nearly black, grizzly bear fur is usually brown with darker legs and commonly white or blond tipped fur on the flank and back.

Grizzly Bear Physical Characteristics

A large muscular hump exists on adult grizzly bear shoulders. Aside from the distinguishing hump, grizzly bears also have "dished in" face profiles with short, rounded ears.

Grizzly bear's rear end is lower than its shoulders, where as a black bear's rump is higher than its shoulders.

Grizzly bear's front claws are usually 2–4 inches in length, where as a black bear's claws measure about 1–2 inches in length.

Grizzly Bear Hibernation

Grizzly bears hibernate from 5 to 7 months each year unless they live in warm climates where they may not hibernate at all. During hibernation, female grizzly bears give birth and their offspring will consume milk from their mother for the remainder of the hibernation period.

Grizzly bears must consume an immense amount of food to prepare for hibernation. Bears can gain hundreds of pounds during the period just before hibernation called hyperphagia. In this period, grizzlies may consume up to 10 times the amount of calories compared to Spring and Summer.

Bears do not eat during hibernation. Grizzly bears do not defecate or urinate throughout the entire hibernation period. Male grizzly bears usually come out of hibernation in early to mid-March, while females emerge in April or early May.

Bears often wait for a snowstorm as a trigger to enter their den. This behavior reduces the chances that predators will find the den. Grizzly Bear dens are typically at elevations above 1,800 m (5,900 ft) on north-facing slopes.

Inland or Rocky Mountain grizzlies spend nearly half of their life in dens while coastal grizzly bears spend less time in dens. If food is very plentiful year round, grizzly bears may not hibernate at all.

Grizzly Bear Reproduction

Grizzly bears have one of the lowest reproductive rates of all land mammals in North America. Grizzly bears do not reach sexual maturity until they are at least five years old. After mating, females delay embryo implantation until hibernation, during which miscarriage can occur if the female is not in good enough condition. Female grizzly bears usually produce two cubs in a litter, with the mother caring for the cubs for up to two years before mating again.

Grizzlies are normally solitary animals, but in coastal areas, grizzlies gather around streams, lakes, rivers, and ponds during the salmon spawn. Females (sows) produce one to four cubs that are small and weigh only about 450 grams (1 lb) at birth. Unfortunately, most grizzly bear cubs do not make it through their first year due to many factors.

Grizzly Bear Lifespan

The average lifespan for a grizzly boar is estimated at 22 years, with sows living slightly longer at 26.

Females live longer than males due to their less dangerous life, as they do not fight during mating season like boars do. The oldest known wild inland grizzly was about 34 years old(Alaska), with the oldest known coastal bear being 39. Captive grizzlies have been known to live as long as 44 years.

Big Grizzly Bears