GRIZZLY BEARS

Grizzly bears are the second largest land carnivore in North America. They are widely distributed throughout the Yukon and the mainland parts of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Inhabiting rugged terrain in upper slopes and valley bottoms, grizzly bears can be found in 80% of British Columbia. In the coastal regions of British Columbia regions, bears hibernate from early November to mid-April. In the interior, they hibernate from October to May .

The grizzly bear is a subspecies of the brown bear. Grizzly bears can range in color from creamy yellow to almost black. Grizzly bears have broad heads and small, rounded ears. They have prominent shoulder humps that are formed as a result of heavy digging. Grizzly bears have long claws that are yellow or brown in color. Their toes are close together and in a relatively straight line, which makes their footprint distinguishable from that of a black bear.  Though classified as carnivores, the variety in the grizzly bear’s diet makes them omnivores. Grizzly bears will forage at a variety of elevations, from valley bottoms to alpine meadows. In the spring, they feed at lower elevations, in wetlands and at lower avalanche tracks, though they can also switch to subalpine burns to feed. Grizzlies will also eat insects, ground squirrels, marmots, mice, salmon and young ungulates. They have excellent senses of small and fairly good sight. A grizzly bear’s weight will vary from 290 to 1100 lbs (130 to 500kg), depending on its gender, season, region, age, and access to food.