Food sources are generally seasonal which forces bears to use different elevations and habitats. They do not stake out and defend a well-defined area but follow food availability.
How large an area does an individual grizzly bear require?Ī grizzly bear’s home range size depends on the richness of the habitat in bear foods. An adult male may consume the caloric equivalent of ten huckleberry pies per day during the height of the berry season. If the opportunity arises they can become adept at fishing and hunting.īecause they must live off stored fat for three to six months of the year, they eat large quantities in summer and fall. They also scavenge meat from winter-killed animals, dig for rodents, and eat termites, ants, grubs and other insects. Most of their diet is from vegetable materials such as berries, roots, and grasses. Generally less than 20 percent of a grizzly bear’s diet is meat. They are also opportunists, taking advantage of whatever is available. Like humans, they eat both plants and animals. What do grizzly bears eat? How much do they eat? Male bears do not participate in caring for the young. Grizzly bear mothers are highly protective of their young and will risk death to protect them. Cubs accompany their mother until she has another litter. Grizzlies have cubs every three years on average. They are helpless and weigh less than a pound. Cubs are born in the den in late January. The oldest wild grizzly bear ever captured in North America was a 34 year old female.įemale grizzlies usually begin to breed at five to six years old and have on average two cubs. The average life span of a grizzly is 15 to 20 years. What is the life history of a grizzly bear? Grizzly bear recovery in the North Cascades is an important part of national efforts to restore endangered animals where suitable habitat still exists. We have an ethical and legal obligation to restore this and other native species. Grizzly bears have been part of the Pacific Northwest landscape for thousands of years. Their prolific digging for bulbs and burrowing rodents help aerate soils and their defecations help fertilize those areas, particularly in mid and high elevation habitats.
They spread seeds from plants on which they feed, like huckleberries and in some areas distribute marine or aquatic nutrients from fish including cutthroat trout and salmon. Like all native species grizzly bears play a critical ecological role. Grizzly bears provide a yardstick with which to gauge the health of our wild lands. Habitat that supports grizzly bears also supports hundreds of other plants and animals and human needs like clean water, healthy forests and quality outdoor opportunities. Grizzly bears are considered an “umbrella” species, and they play an important role for healthy ecosystems. They are a regional icon and a key part of our natural heritage. Grizzlies are seen as teachers, guides and symbols of strength and wisdom to indigenous peoples. Grizzly bears are culturally and spiritually significant to Native American and First Nations communities throughout the U.S. FAQ adapted from the National Park Service, Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, and Western Wildlife Outreach Be sure to also check out our short films Time for the Grizzly? and Wanted: Grizzly Bears? by award-winning Bellingham-based filmmaker Chris Morgan! Curious about potential interactions between grizzly bears and livestock? Check out the short film Ranching and Grizzly Bears from Conservation Northwest, Chris Morgan / Insight Wildlife Management, Vidcom Productions and John Cofrin.