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Image of the
Month
 Grizzly
Bear
Ursus arctos horribilis
A symbol of America's wild, the brown bear, or
grizzly, is one of North American’s largest land mammals. Contrary to what
many think, the brown bears located in the coastal areas of Alaska are of
the same species, Ursus arctos, as the interior grizzly bears. This
single species includes all North American, European, and Asian brown bears
including all North American grizzlies. There are subtle morphological
differences between the grizzly and brown bear, but size is the most obvious
variable. Brown bears can attain a size nearly twice as large as the
interior grizzlies due largely to their habitat and diet. The longer growing
season, lush vegetation, and, most importantly the abundance of fish high in
protein in the coastal areas are all factors that contribute to the larger
size of the brown bears. In contrast, the short growing season and leaner
diet of the interior grizzlies mandate a smaller body size. Adult males may
weigh 300 to 860 pounds compared with 205 to 455 pounds for females. The
brown bears from the interior range of North America and the subArctic are
roughly two-thirds the size of their Alaskan and Kamchatkan cousins.
The brown bear is a large mammal that is usually
dark brown in color although it can vary from a light creamy shade through
many color phases, including black, cinnamon, red, blond or a mixture of
these colors. The long guard hairs over the shoulders and back are often
silver tipped, which, from a distance, gives a grizzled appearance. The
brown bear is a large mammal. Larger than the black bear, male brown bears
can stand as tall as an intimidating 7 feet. Brown bears have a heavy stout
body with strong muscular legs and a distinctive muscular shoulder hump.
They have a big head, short tail, small rounded ears, feet (i.e., both heel
and toe make contact with the ground when walking in a manner similar to
humans), and a hind foot with five toes. The front paws are large, strong
and slightly curved. The front claws are approximately one and three-quarter
times longer than the rear claws and generally visible even from a distance.
Their claws are more suited for digging for food (e.g., tubers, rodents,
etc.) as opposed to climbing. They are very quick such that they are able to
attain speeds of 35 miles per hour for short distances.
The
brown bear is a large mammal that is usually dark brown in color although it
can vary from a light creamy shade through many color phases, including
black, cinnamon, red, blond or a mixture of these colors. The long guard
hairs over the shoulders and back are often silver tipped, which, from a
distance, gives a grizzled appearance. The brown bear is a large mammal.
Larger than the black bear, male brown bears can stand as tall as an
intimidating 7 feet. Brown bears have a heavy stout body with strong
muscular legs and a distinctive muscular shoulder hump. They have a big
head, short tail, small rounded ears, feet (i.e., both heel and toe make
contact with the ground when walking in a manner similar to humans), and a
hind foot with five toes. The front paws are large, strong and slightly
curved. The front claws are approximately one and three-quarter times longer
than the rear claws and generally visible even from a distance. Their claws
are more suited for digging for food (e.g., tubers, rodents, etc.) as
opposed to climbing. They are very quick such that they are able to attain
speeds of 35 miles per hour for short distances.
Travel safe and Good Shooting!
Nikon
D1, Nikon 400f2.8 AFS, Gitzo G1548 tripod w/ Arca Swiss B-2, Lexar 128 10X
FlashCard.
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