Brown Bears (aka Grizzlies and Kodiaks)
Get to know brown bears, Grizzlies and Kodiaks here
Brown Bears, known as Grizzly bears in the Lower 48 states live 20 to 25 years in the wild. in Alaska the bear is known as the Alaskan Brown Bear or Kodiak bear. Here you find facts about their habitat, range, breeding, habits along with photos, videos, links to organizations dedicated to saving grizzlies and other bears.
If you love bears like I do, I think you'll really appreciate this lens. I have a guest book near the end where you can leave me a comment. I'd love to hear from you.
ALL royalties from this lens are donated directly to National Wildlife Federation's Alaska Natural Resource Center.
Bear hugs, Frankie
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae
Genus: Ursus
Species: U. arctos
Subspecies: U. a. horribilis
From WikipediaConservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
From Wikipedia
Conservation Status - U.S.
"In 1975, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the grizzly bear as a threatened species in the Lower 48 states, under the *Endangered Species Act. In Alaska, where there are estimated to be over 30,000 grizzly bears, they are classified as a game animal with regionally established regulations. The Yellowstone population of grizzly bears was declared recovered and removed from the 'Threatened' species list in April of 2007."
Defenders of Wildlife
Features: What Do Brown Bears Look Like?
Brown bear features
The Grizzlies are yellowish brown to dark brown, often with white-tipped hairs. They have a distinctive hump on their shoulders and their faces in profile usually appear somewhat concave. Their claws on the front feet are nearly 4 inches long.
Brown Bears stand about 4 feet tall and the adult males weigh from 300 to 860 pounds (135 to 390 kilograms and females weigh from 205 to 455 pounds (95 to 205 kilograms).
The weight of these bears differ between populations and between times of the year. For instance, some bears can weigh 2 times as much in the fall as they weigh in the Spring (due to hibernating during the winter).
At birth cubs weigh from 11 ounces to 1 pound 6 ounces (340 to 680 grams). They are able to climb but those lose this ability during their first year of life.
Although big, Brown Bears are extremely agile and fast, and can reach speeds of 35 to 40 mph.
Habitat: Where Do Brown Bears Live?
Where to find brown bears
Brown bears are found in a variety of habitats from dense forests and sub alpine mountain areas to tundra in the Arctic. They are primarily nocturnal and make their den in a cave, crevice or hollow tree.
At one time they were abundant on the central plains of North America. The Brown Bears there have been exterminated.
Because of 30 years of intensive management, Grizzly Bears in Yellowstone have increased from 200 bears in 1975 to about 600 today. In 1975 they were listed as "threatened" and major steps were taken to ensure their survival. That may come to an end if the move to de-list the Grizzly Bears in the Yellowstone ecosystem succeeds.
LIFE SPAN: Brown Bears in the wild live 20 to 25 years.
98% of the U.S. brown bears (grizzlies) live in Alaska
Range: How Far Do Brown Bears Roam?
where do brown bears live?
The Brown Bear has the widest range of any species of bear in the world. They are found in eastern and western Europe, across northern Asia and in Japan. They are found In North America in western Canada, Alaska, and in the states of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Washington.
Breeding: How Brown Bears Breed
How brown bears reproduce
Female Brown Bears reach sexual maturity at 4-1/2 to 7 years of age. Males may become sexually mature at the same age, however, due to their small size, they probably don't breed until they are 8 to 10 years old.
Although mating takes place from early May to the middle of July, implantation does not occur until about October or November with cubs being born January to March. Litter size can be from 1 to 4 cubs, but most frequently 2 cubs are born. Cubs remain with their mothers for at 2-1/2 years, which means the female only breeds every 3 years.
What Brown bears, grizzly bears and kodiaks eat
What do Brown Bears (Grizzlies) Eat?
Brown Bears, grizzlies and Kodiak bears eat a varitey of plants including fungi. They also eat berries, insects, and small mammals. They also are good at catching fish, adding them to their diet.
Videos of Brown Bears Fishing - How do brown bears fish?
Brown Bear cub
In 1943, a brown bear cub found wandering in the hills near Iran during WWII. It was saved by the Allies and in return, Voytek, the soldier bear, served as one of them - carrying mortar rounds and passing ammo during battle. He also developed a taste for beer and cigarettes. Seriously!
After the war, Voytek spent the rest of his life in Edinburgh Zoo. He died in 1963. Today, there is a campaign under way to build a permanent memorial to this heroic bear who fought for the Allies. For more information and pictures of Voytek, click More Voytek.
I went to Alaska to visit with the folks at National Wildlife Federation's Alaska Natural Resource Center to see how I can best help to support their work.
While I was there, I visited the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage where I saw live bears for the first time. I was able to see some brown bears (Grizlies) and Kodiak brown bears. They were amazing to watch. I loved it!
I'm psyched and a little psycho getting organized to go. I will be posting photos and more information about the bears in the zoo, so come back. Better yet, visit my blog where I'll be posting all about my trip. Simply click, Blogging for Bears.
How you can support National Wildlife Federation's
Alaska Natural Resource Center
NWF and their Alaska Natural Resource Center are leading a nationwide grassroots effort to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
Their campaigns address the issue of climate change and its effect on polar bears from many angles, including clean energy, sustainable tourism, youth conservation leadership, reversing nature deficit, and protecting wildlife from global warming through adaptive management of habitat.
For more information on NWF click NWF-Arctic Refuge. Or, for membership information, click NWF Membership.
For the Alaska Natural Resource Center's office, click Alaska Resource Center.
To make a lens now, click
The new Alaska quarter bears the image of a brown bear. It went into circulation on Monday, Aug. 25, 2008. Image provided by the U.S. Mint (AP Photo/U.S. Mint)
National Wildlife Federation
Protecting Brown Bears and The Environment
When I discovered the problems facing bears, I looked for an organization that I could work with to help save them. I found the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). Their mission is to protect wildlife for our children's future, connect people with nature and to confront global warming.
I am proud to be a member of NWF and to support them in their efforts to save Bears and other animals from extinction.
The NWF is also helping to lead a nationwide grassroots effort to protect the Arctic Refuge. For more information on this click NWF-Arctic Refuge. Or, for membership information, click NWF Membership.
The Great Bear Rainforest
Sign Petition to stop the killing of bears
Photo: National Wildlife Federation
The Great Bear Rainforest, one of the last rainforest's on earth, is found in British Columbia, Canada. It is home to Brown Bears/Grizzlies and Black bears. Currently trophy hunters are allowed to kill these volunerable bears.
Currenlty, the Vancouver Organizing Committee is planning for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, so now is a great time to let them know that you oppose the killing of these bears.
You can help by signing the petition at Stop the trophy hunting.
Let the organizers knows that you are considering avoiding the 2010 Olympic Games as long as the trophy hunt for bears is allowed to continue in the Great Bear Rainforest - and that you will encourage your friends and family to follow suit.
Brown bears
Books On Brown Bears For Adults
Books On Brown Bears For Kids
Video Of Alaska's Brown Bears
Brown Bear Mom And Cubs
Save Our Bears (SOB) Headquarters
Mamber of bear headquarters
Member of Save Our Bears Headquarters -- a group of lenses devoted to help change the plight all of the 8 bear species through awareness and fund raising.
The lenses show the wonderful nature of bears and many will, at the same time, shine a spotlight on the dangers bears face including: trophy hunters, gall bladder and bile farming, pollution, bear baiting, global warming, and habitat destruction.
You'll also find fun lenses on great polar bear movies, books, teddy bears, even cartoon and toy bears.
Click Save Our Bears (SOB) to go to the headquarters page.Bear origami from "Animal Origami for the Enthusiast"
Bear origami
Why me?
Kodiak Bear
Photo: Manfried, the Kodiak bear at PAWS before he passed away on March, 1, 2010.
- Ancient cave bear shares DNA with brown and polar bears
French researchers have solved the genetic riddle of the fearsome cave bear, revealing that it shared a common ancestor with the brown and polar bear around 1.6 million years ago. They made their discovery after analysing DNA from well-preserved bea - Grizzly bear hunt has no place in modern society
Recreational hunters, governments, and conservationists will likely continue to argue about the status of bears, but what matters most in the grizzly hunting debate is that killing these magnificent animals for sport, trophy, and profit has no place - Ancient bones those of brown bear
Tests reveal an almost complete skeleton recovered from a cave in the Highlands was that of a brown bear. - Trophy hunters in the line of fire
The debate over the management of B.C.’s grizzly population is less about how many should be shot, but... - BBC News - Grizzlies encroach on polar bear territory
Grizzly bears are being spotted in Manitoba, Canada, where biologists say only polar bears are usually found. - It is with great sadness we announce the death of Manfried the Kodiak bear.
Manfried passed away quietly,peacefully and with great dignity. At 3 p.m. on Monday, March 1, 2010, Manfried, our giant Kodiak bear, laid down in his favorite tepee den and qui - Grizzlies invading Canadian polar bear habitat
Long considered eliminated in a province that is also home to polar bears, the grizzly bear is returning to a region that provides crucial habitat for its larger cousin. While predators tend to avoid each other in the wild, the consequences for ... - How to Draw Bears, Step by Step
How to Draw Bears, forest animals, Animals free step-by-step drawing tutorial will teach you in easy-to-draw-steps how to draw "How to Draw Bears" online., Added by Dawn, October 25, 2010, 1:48:00 pm
Brown Bears out for a stroll
Want to link to this page? Here's how.
WANT TO LINK TO THIS PAGE?
Here's the HTML code to copy and paste:
Brown Bears (aka Grizzlies and Kodiaks)
Copyright
This work is covered by copyright and can not be reprinted
in any matter (physical or digital) without prior written consent.
Copyright 2008-2012 Frankie Kangas All rights reserved.
Please use this guestbook to let me know if something is missing or could be done better. I can't bear to disappoint you!
Bear hugs, Frankie
