Often called the largest land carnivores, brown bears (known as grizzlies if more than 100 miles from the coast) are in fact omnivores: they range from tidal flats to mountaintops in search of anything edible, be it clams or berries. In spring they graze for house on tides sedges and grasses.
When the salmon begin to run in summer, grizzles gorge themselves, gaining 20 per cent of their body weight. A smaller bear weighed by biologists on the Alaska Peninsula actually doubled its body weight.
Late season berry binges add extra pounds; by hibernation time in late October, healthy brown bears are waddling fat. Some large males approach three-quarters of a ton. Upon emerging from hibernation in late March or early April, they quickly shake off their lethargy and resume their search for food.
Brown Bear Subspecies
Several races of brown bear are commonly recognized: Alaskan bear, Syrian bear, Manchurian bear, grizzly bear, Hokkaido bear, Eurasian brown bear, Kodiak bear, and Siberian bear. However, their taxonomy is disputed, and rather than being true subspecies, they may simply represent size variations due to disparities in food supply.
Salmon Harvest
Brown bears are comfortable in water and may wait for hours at waterfalls or in the shallows of a stream ready to dive on their prey. As spawning salmon swim upstream the brown bear pounces, delivering a crushing bite with its powerful jaws or a stunning blow from one of its large, clawed paws. Salmon is a vital source of protein for coastal populations of brown bear, which are usually the largest of the species; once caught, the fish rarely escape the bear’s grasp.
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