Bears
Family
Ursidae
Every animal we cover from Ursidae, and the articles about them.
5 animals30 articles
Animals: Ursidae
Bears
Brown bear
Ursus arctos
Grizzly bear
Ursus arctos horribilis
Kodiak bear
Ursus arctos middendorffi
Polar bear
Ursus maritimus
Articles
Diet & feeding
What does the brown bear eat?
Brown bears are omnivores that eat grasses, roots, berries, ants, salmon and young moose. Their diet changes with the seasons…
Records & rankings
What is the biggest bear in the world?
The polar bear and the Kodiak brown bear tie as the world's biggest bears. An extinct South American bear, Arctotherium,…
Strength & bite force
How strong is a polar bear?
Polar bears are extremely strong, but their bite, swipe and lift have never been measured. Their size, paws, skull and…
Conservation & population
Grizzly polar bear hybrids: are pizzly bears real?
Grizzly polar bear hybrids are real but very rare. All eight known wild pizzlies trace back to one female polar…
Adaptations
Adaptations of a grizzly bear: the hump, claws, nose and winter den
A grizzly bear survives with a hump of digging muscle, 10 cm claws, a keen nose, a diet of almost…
Conservation & population
Where do grizzly bears live?
Grizzly bears live in Alaska, western and northern Canada, and a few mountain areas of the northern US Rockies and…
Habitat & range
Where do polar bears live?
Polar bears live only in the Arctic, on sea ice across five countries. Canada has about 16,000 of them, Alaska…
Lifespan
How long do polar bears live?
Wild polar bears live 15 to 18 years on average, and females often reach 20 to 25. The oldest known…
Diet & feeding
What do polar bears eat?
Polar bears live mainly on ringed and bearded seals, and often eat only the fatty blubber. Fish, birds, eggs and…
Adaptations
Polar bear adaptations: how the body, gut and habits beat the Arctic cold
Two layers of fur, fat up to 10 cm thick, paws as big as dinner plates and a gut built…
Records & rankings
How big is a Kodiak bear?
Male Kodiak bears weigh 272–635 kg (600–1,400 lb) and the biggest reach 680 kg (1,500 lb). A large male stands…
Size & weight
How much does a grizzly bear weigh, and how tall is it?
Inland male grizzlies average 180–270 kg (400–600 lb) and females 110–160 kg (250–350 lb). Salmon-fed coastal brown bears can pass…