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Coastal Brown Bear
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CLASS: Mammalia
ORDER: Carnivora
FAMILY: Ursidae
GENUS: Ursus
SPECIES: Arctos
LIFESPAN: 20 to 30 years (wild) 50 years (captivity)
COLOR/PATTERN: Varies from cream to black, but usually dark brown
HABITAT: Variety of habitats including coastlines, tundra, mountains and meadows. They need a dense cover for shelter.
RANGE: Canadian Providences of British Colombia, Alberta, Yukon and the Northwest Territories; and the US states of Alaska Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, and Montana.
LENGTH: Up to 10 feet
WEIGHT: Up to 1500 pounds
REPRODUCTION: Mating season takes place from May to July and the young are born in January and February while hibernation is taking place. Sexual maturity isn’t reached until 4 to 6 years of age. Females produce a litter every 2 to 4 years.
GESTATION: 222 to 229 days
LITTER: Up to 4, but usually 1 or 2
DIET: Berries, roots, bulbs of plants, ground dwelling rodents, nuts, moose, elk, mountain goats, fish, and carrion.
ACTIVE: Primarily night
STATUS: Endangered, except in Alaska
NOTES:
- Technically, brown and grizzly bears are classified under the same species. The term “brown bear�? is commonly used to refer to the members of this species found in coastal areas where salmon is the primary food source. Brown bears found inland and in northern habitats are called “grizzlies�?.
- They are surprisingly fast; they can match a horse’s speed for over 330 feet, reaching speeds up to 40 mph.
- Cubs weigh only 1 pound at birth.
- When bears stand upright, its not to get ready to charge, but to test the wind and to see better.
- Inland bears are usually smaller than coastal bears, probably because they do not have a readily available supply of protein rich food.
- Bears are typically solitary animals and avoid company of other bears, the exception being females with young.
- Bears are not true hibernators; they can be awakened quite easily.
- Alaska contains over 70% of the North American brown bear population.
- Bears have an excellent sense of smell and can locate carrion (dead animals) from miles away.
- Brown bears cannot climb trees.
- The cubs will stay with their mother for up to 2 ½ years, meaning the female will only breed once every three years or so. Given that in the wild bears only live 20 to 30 years and don’t reach sexual maturity until 4 to 6 years of age, it does not give her as many opportunities to multiply as other mammals.
Last Update:Tuesday, March 22, 2005 at 09:16:00
