Grizzly Bear, sometimes called the silvertip bear, is a powerful, brownish-yellow bear that lives in the uplands of western North America.
The grizzly bear is a large predator that is different from black bears due to a distinctive hump on its shoulders, which is a large muscle used to power the forelimbs in digging. Grizzly bears have concave faces and long claws about the length of a human finger. Their coat is usually darkish brown but can vary from very light cream to black. These differences, once attributed to subspeciation, are now thought to be primarily due to the different environments these bears inhabit, particularly with regard to diet and temperature. The long hairs on their backs and shoulders often have light tips and give the bears a "grizzled" appearance, hence the name grizzly. The correct scientific name for the species is “brown bear”, but only coastal bears in Alaska and Canada are referred to as such, while inland bears and those found in the lower 48 states are called grizzly bears.
Grizzly bears reach weights of 400–1,500 pounds (180–680 kgs) and stand a height of 8 feet tall (2.44 m) on their hind legs; the male, on average, is 1.8 times as heavy as the female. This suggests that size is an important factor in the male's ability to successfully compete for and attract breeding opportunities.
In spite of their massive size, these bears can run at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour (55 kilometers per hour).
Every other year females, better known as sows, produce one to four young, usually two, which are small and weigh only about one pound (500 grams). Sows are very protective of their offspring, and will defend them to the death. Never approach a lone cub, as mama is sure to be close by!
Safely camping in grizzly territory
During the continuous evolution of the grizzly bear a premium has been placed on spatial memory. Without this adaptation, the grizzly would not be able to forage efficiently over large territories. This strong sense of memory ties in with their tendency to return to places that have human habitations which rewarded them with food in the past.
It is important for campers in areas inhabited by grizzly to maintain a clean campsite. Reports have shown that something as small as a tube of lip gloss can encourage a bear to come into a campsite in search of food. Any bear that is conditioned to finding food around campsites will almost always return and expect the same reward. The bear is then a threat to campers and itself, as park rangers may be forced to kill it. For back-country campers, hanging food between trees at a height unreachable to bears is a common procedure, although some grizzlies can climb and reach hanging food in other ways. An alternative to hanging food is to use a bear canister.
Safely hiking in grizzly territory
Hiking in grizzly territory requires a different set of rules than hiking in your local park. The consequences of making a mistake can be deadly and are well documented. It is imperative that you are aware of your surroundings at all times, and recognizing the signs of a grizzly in the area is your first defense in preventing an attack. Since most grizzlies prefer to avoid people, it is a good idea to make noise when travelling in dense brush or other places where visibility is limited. Loud clapping, high pitched shouts and whistles will alert nearby bears and give them a chance to get out of the way. "Bear bells" are generally useless as their sound does not travel far.
A grizzly track is unlike that of a black bear in that one can trace a single line from the innermost point on the left toe to the innermost point on the right toe without intersecting the pad of the foot. Claws are normally more than one inch from the end of the toe. Other signs include: talus slopes that appear raked, fallen logs which have been torn up, and high claw marks on trees. The smell of decomposing flesh is a danger sign, as bears will take possession of animal carcasses and defend these rich food supplies aggressively; hikers should always give a wide berth to any area where there is a strong odor.
In spite of their obvious physical advantages and many opportunities, grizzlies almost never hunt humans as prey. Even so, they can be extremely dangerous animals. Most grizzly bear attacks result from a bear that has been surprised, especially if it has a fresh carcass, or a female sow protecting her offspring. In recent years, some grizzly bears seem to hone in on the sound of a hunter's gunshots as a source of potential food, and unsuspecting hunters have been attacked by bears trying to steal their kill. If you encounter a bear, remain calm, DO NOT RUN, talk calmly to the bear as you back away, DO NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT, attempt to make yourself less threatening, DO NOT RUN. If the bear charges and you do not have bear spray, drop to the ground belly-first, cover your head with your arms, hands interlaced behind your neck and "play dead." Leave your pack on as an added barrier, not that you would have time to remove it in the few seconds it will take the bear to reach you.
