Brown Bear

Brown bears are omnivores, which means that they eat both vegetation and meat. What they eat depends on the season. During the summer, they prefer to eat berries and fish, especially when fish are spawning. Trout and salmon are a great source of nutrients that help them gain weight for the upcoming winter. Brown bears can also dig for tubers using their claws. Sometimes, they may prey on young ungulates such as moose or caribou. They may also hunt an injured or sick adult animal.

At the Zoo, brown bears enjoy a variety of foods including a specialized pre-made carnivore diet, fish, apples, carrots, pears, tomatoes, and corn on the cob. They also receive a variety of foods for enrichment.

The brown bear is the most widely distributed species among all bears. They are found in the forests and mountains of North America, Europe, and Asia, and have a relatively large global population that is currently stable. There are several sub-species of brown bears. Their principal range includes parts of Russia, the United States, Canada, the Carpathian region (especially in Romania), the Balkans, Sweden, and Finland. In North America, brown bears are found in western Canada, Alaska, and the states of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Washington. They can also be found in Mexico.

Brown bears once roamed across a large area of western North America (including Mexico), Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. They were once present much farther east in North America than in historic times, as indicated by fossil remains found in Ontario and Labrador in Canada, and Ohio and Kentucky in the United States. They also ranged throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, but a long history of overhunting in these regions has resulted in the elimination of these species from many countries.

Brown bears can be found in various habitats, ranging from desert edges to high mountain forests and icy fields. In North America, they tend to prefer living in tundra, alpine meadows, and along coastlines. In Siberia, brown bears mostly inhabit forests, while European populations are mainly found in mountain woodlands. They require dense cover for shelter, and their den can either be dug or constructed on the sheltered side of a slope or located in a rock cave. These dens are usually protected from harsh weather conditions.

Brown bears are at the top of the food chain and are considered apex predators. Unfortunately, human activity has put a few isolated subpopulations of brown bears in danger. These conflicts typically occur in areas where humans leave food items that attract brown bears, such as dumpsters, unsecured livestock, or crops. The presence of brown bears in these areas may pose a threat to human life or property, which may result in the killing of these bears as a consequence.

Brown bears are known for their large frame with a rounded back and a noticeable hump of muscle above their shoulder blades. Depending on the subspecies and individual, their fur can vary from uniform brown to mixed shades of brown, blonde, silver-tipped (grizzled), or nearly black. Cubs may have lighter markings on their chest, but they generally lose them with age. In the fall, brown bears grow thick underfur for warmth, which they shed each spring. They have long and powerful claws that are perfect for ripping into logs and digging. Their snout is elongated, and they possess a keen sense of smell. They can follow the scent of prey for more than two miles!

During mating season, which lasts from April to July, brown bears come together, with males staying with females for up to three weeks. Typically, female brown bears mate every two to three years. During the interval years, their cubs learn from their mothers until they can survive on their own. Brown bears undergo delayed implantation, where fertilized eggs do not implant in the female's womb until October or November. This allows the mother bear to take advantage of the plentiful food sources before winter and increases the chances of survival for the family. Cubs are born in the winter den between January and March, with litter sizes ranging from one to two cubs on average. Weighing only ½ to 1 pound, these cubs are born blind and hairless.

Brown bears vocalize eleven different sounds, including deep low grunts, clicking, huffing, roar, and growling. They can also communicate through body language and scent marking.

Brown bears are typically solitary animals, although they may congregate in the same area if food is abundant or it is mating season. Brown bears use their social structure to determine who gets the best access to food when they are in groups.

During the winter, all subspecies of brown bears sleep for four to six months and spend the spring and summer eating to sustain themselves during this time. Although it is not considered true hibernation (as the bear's body temperature does not significantly decrease), the bear's heart rate slows to only ten beats per minute, their metabolism slows, and they do not urinate or defecate while sleeping. This is called "torpor". The timing of their hibernation depends on the region they inhabit and may begin as early as October or as late as December. They will emerge from their winter sleep anywhere from March to May. This is a natural behavior that allows bears to conserve energy and survive during seasons when food is scarce.