Grizzly Bear Facts
Nothing is so majestic and powerful as the grizzly bear. Here are some grizzly bear facts for you to chew on.
Grizzly Bear Facts
Grizzly bears have a concave or dish-shaped face. Their paws are brownish or black in color with wrinkled skin on the pad. They have a distinguishing shoulder hump. This hump is actually a mass of muscles. It enables grizzly bears to dig and use their paws as a striking force. The claws range in color from yellow to brown and are long and curved. Some grizzlies have even been observed with white claws. These claws are used to excavate dens and to dig up roots and bulbs of plants.
Tracking a grizzly bear reveals some interesting facts. The toes are nearly in a straight line in a track and fall close together. The front tracks of brown bears reach 6-8 inches of length and 7-9 inches of width. Grizzlies range in color from brown, black shades thereof to white and even blonde in rare circumstances. For most, fur tips are lighter in color which gives them a grizzled effect. They reach sexual maturity at 4 and 5 years. They are considered fully grown by 8 to 10 years.
Grizzly bears feed on berries, roots, ground dwelling rodents, bulbs of plants and white bark pine nuts. Sometimes grizzlies locate a hiding place of nuts that a ground squirrel has stored for the wintertime. Grizzlies can locate carrion from miles away and will readily feed on it. Males reach their maximum weight of 330 to 1150 pounds by 12 years; females reach their maximum weight of 270 to 770 pounds by 8 years.
Contrary to assumed grizzly bear facts, the bears actually flee as soon as they detect humans. Finding mates, food and avoiding being preyed upon is a grizzly bear’s life. Most of them are active during the morning and early evening hours. During the daytime they rest in day “beds” which are often constructed in dense cover to avoid the heat. Grizzly bears may be active throughout the day during the late summer and fall months. They are fattening up for the long months of hibernation at that time. The bear’s territory increases as food items become scarce.
Grizzly bears often use rock caves and hollow trees for shelter, although they can excavate a den. Dens are dug in dry, stable soil in places where winter temperatures will remain above freezing level. Snow covers and helps to insulate the den. Generally the den is large enough to accommodate the bear. The entrance to the den leads to a tunnel sloping to the actual sleeping chamber.
The number of cubs depends on body weight of the female. Mating takes place between early May and mid July. Cubs are born between the end of January and early March. Usually a female grizzly bear reproduces once every 3 to 5 years. Males must range widely in order to find a mate because only 1 in 3 females breed in a given year. Given this slow birth rate, any threat to the grizzly population can have a devastating impact.
As these grizzly bear facts show, this is an amazing animal that really is only at risk from mankind. Let’s hope we do not prove to be too much of a danger.
