ANIMAL:Alaskan Brown/Kodiak Bear Ursus middendorffi
Type of Animal:
Bear
Habitat:
Forests, plains, meadows, tundra, mountains, alpine/subalpine areas, woodlands, riparian areas alongside rivers & streams, beaches, grasslands, valleys, coastal areas, fjords, subpolar oceanic areas, rivers, lakes
Location(s):
Alaska
Appearance:
Similar in appearance but larger/darker than grizzlies, often hybridize w/ grizzlies, males larger than females, females sometimes lighter than males, brown w/ square head & grizzled fur, largest of all brown bears found in Kodiak Archipelago, 2nd largest bears in world
Food/Diet:
Fish (especially salmon/trout/bass), fish eggs, bison, pigs, goats, sheep, deer, elk, moose, caribou/reindeer, equines, cattle, musk ox, beavers, rodents, carrion, refuse, berries, nuts, tubers, moths, ants, bees, wasps, ladybugs, legumes, leaves, grasses, acorns, mushrooms, roots, bulbs, seeds, sedges, grubs, flowers, seaweeds, honey, forbs, beetles, termites, insect larvae, worms, fruit, vegetables, rabbits, hares, pikas, foxes, wolf pups, otters, birds. Males sometimes prey on bear cubs. Rare cases of man-eating bears.
Status in Wild:
Stable
Conservation:
Breeding in zoos & wildlife parks
Lifestyle:
Solitary, though same-sex sibling groups not uncommon & sizeable groups converge at salmon runs/other food sites.
Additional Info:Called:
Male: Boar
Female: Sow
Young: Cub
Group: Sleuth
Weight:
Male: 500-1,500 lbs
Female: 250-750 lbs
Young: 50 lbs
Gestation:
6-8 monthsLife Span:
20-25 years in wild, up to 35 years in captivity
Height:
Male: 7-10 ft
Female: 6-8.5 ft
Body Length:
Male: 5.5-9 ft
Female: 6-7.4 ft
Tail Length:
1.92-8.04 in
Adults have no predators. Cubs preyed on by adult male bears (brown & black) & wolves.
Fights over food/mates sometimes result in death.
Sexually mature at 2.5 years old.
Eat a lot in late summer/fall to stock up for winter.
Cubs stay w/ mom for 2-3 years
Mostly diurnal but when faced w/ competition for food/space, they become more nocturnal.
Breed in May & June.
Mortality rate of cubs high w/ almost 50% not making it to 2.5 years.
Denning starts in late October w/ pregnant females going 1st & males last. Breeding females also last to leave den.
While stable, sometimes persecuted because of fear & eating habits.
Fun Fact(s):
Known to be very dangerous & unpredictable-females w/ cubs most dangerous followed by hungry bears & provoked bears. NEVER RUN FROM A BEAR! PLAY DEAD!
Can run as fast as 30 mph.
They have an excellent sense of smell-5 times better than that of a bloodhound.
