Content
- origin of the grizzly bear
- Grizzly Bear Characteristics
- grizzly bear habitat
- grizzly bear feeding
- grizzly bear reproduction
O gray bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) is one of the emblematic animals of the U.S, however, this did not exempt him from being one of the most endangered animals on the American continent. Gray bears are closely related to grizzly bears on the Eurasian continent, but distance and time made them different in many ways.
There are several species of bears, but in this PeritoAnimal sheet, we talk in detail about the grizzly bear: its characteristics, habitat, reproduction and much more. Keep reading!
Source- America
- Canada
- U.S
origin of the grizzly bear
The grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) are a grizzly bear subspecies (Ursus arctos), from Europe. After the retreat of the glaciers more than 50,000 years ago, a path was opened by which the brown bears managed to reach the north of the American continent.
Over time, the grizzly bears separated evolutionarily of their close relatives, establishing in North America the subspecies that remained in balance until the arrival of European colonizing humans, at which time bear populations declined dramatically. Over a period of 100 years, the grizzly bears lost approximately 98% of their territory.
Grizzly Bear Characteristics
The grizzly bear varies greatly in size and shape depending on which region of North America it comes from, although some characteristics remain. For example, your bone structure is heavier than most bear species. Its four legs are approximately the same length to each other, ending in long claws that can reach 8 centimeters in length, being longer than those of black bears (ursus americanus) and polar bears (Ursus Maritimus).
The weight of these animals varies according to region, sex, time of year and age. For example, the adult bears of the Alaska Peninsula, which normally feed on salmon, are the heaviest, with about 360 pounds. Bears from a very close region, Yukon, on the other hand, because they don't eat fish, weigh just over 150 kilos. Females on the Alaska Peninsula weigh about 230 kilograms, while females on the Yukon typically do not exceed 100 kilograms. On the other hand, during late summer and fall, bears gain weight, which they lose later during hibernation.
grizzly bear habitat
Gray bears inhabit the Alaska, Canada and the Northwest United States. In these regions, the coniferous forests, such as pine and spruce. Although their way of life is closely linked to the wood from these trees, grizzly bears also need pasture, scrub and riparian vegetation. The most important population of these bears is found in Alaska, a region where they find abundant food for their needs. Also, there they have wide areas to walk. These bears spend the day walking from place to place in search of food, so their territories need to be very wide.
grizzly bear feeding
Like other bears, grizzly bears are omnivorous animals. On the Alaskan and Yukon peninsula, their main food for survival all year round is the salmon. Although they need a lot of practice, they end up being excellent fishermen in the end.
Likewise, bears also feed on fruits and nuts offered by plants in the region. In many cases, these nuts are essential to obtain the necessary fat during hibernation. They can also feed on herbs, leaves, bark, roots and other plant parts. Although they look like slow animals, grizzly bears are fast and can even hunt adult moose and many other prey.
grizzly bear reproduction
The mating season of grizzly bears goes from may to july. During this period, the males have a more aggressive behavior, being more protective with their territories and with the females that pass through there. When a male and female meet, a courtship takes place that includes chases and games for several hours. After mating, the two animals separate.
Female grizzly bears, like females of other bear species, are seasonal polyestrics with delayed implantation. This means that they can have several heats during the season and that, once copulation and fertilization have taken place, the egg does not implant in the uterus until several months later.
Pregnancy develops through the period of hibernation, which occurs during the cold months and can last up to six months. When it ends, offspring are born, between one and two teddy bears. They will stay with their mother for between 2 and 4 years, until they become completely independent.