The head and body height of the bear lies between 7.25 . While a 20 years of age is considered old for a Kodiak brown bear, they can live past 30 years in the wild and past 40 years in captivity. Here are 15 amazing Kodiak bear facts. However, when the salmon run is on . This is the only verified sighting of a black bear in Katmai's history. Most viewing occurs at places where bears congregate because of feeding opportunities that are critical to their survival. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. WildlifeInformer.com is your #1 source for free information about all types of wildlife and exotic pets. Often, bear-viewing and bear-hunting are considered incompatible. mi (130 km2) for sows and about 97 sq. The Kodiak brown bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi) is a type of brown bear (Ursus arctos) and is one of the two North American brown bear subspecies - the other being Ursus arctos horribilis. The Kodiak bear is native to the Kodiak Archipelago in Southwestern Alaska, United States. Their fur looks more sleek in the late summer, as they regrow their outer-most guard hair, and it is thickest in the fall just before hibernation. Upwards of 20,000 brown bears live in Canada, throughout the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, British Columbia, and Alberta. Kodiak bears have few natural predators, although many young bears are killed by other members of their species before they reach independent age or shortly after. 11 Best Places to See Grizzly Bears in the USA This is because Grizzly bears and Kodiak bears are considered subspecies of Ursus Arctos. Specifically, they are found throughout the Kodiak Archipelago, a remote series of islands in southwestern Alaska. The largest bear ever killed in North America was from Kodiak Island, with a total skull size of 78.1cm (30.7in), and eight of the top 10 brown bears listed in the Boone and Crockett record book are from Kodiak. It is hard to imagine how big these bears can get. Kodiak bears reach sexual maturity at age five, but most sows are over nine years old when they successfully wean their first litter. They have a dished, or slightly concave face, with short, round ears, a hump between their shoulders and prominent claws that can be up to 6 inches in length. The main difference between a Kodiak, Grizzly, and brown bear is that a Kodiak bear can be much larger than either two. Kodiak bear | Size, Habitat, & Facts | Britannica Theyre also a very large bear, second largest next to the Kodiak bear. Brown Bear Species Profile, Alaska Department of Fish and Game [27][28], One fatal bear attack on a person on the Kodiak archipelago occurred in 1999. Land covered by evergreen trees in cool, northern latitudes. Despite its massive size and reputation as a fierce predator, it is generally an opportunist and will eat a large variety of plant and animal species. There are 31 drawing hunt areas, and the hunts are further divided by season and hunter residency (DB101 - 293), with a total of 496 permits issued annually. These bears are found in Alaska, parts of Western Canada, and parts of the northwestern United States including Idaho, Montana, and Washington. Brown Bear | The Maryland Zoo Bears live throughout the archipelago, adapting to local resources and retaining relatively small home ranges and comparable densities in most habitats. Because of their special geographical location, Kodiak bears are larger than grizzlies after decades of living in isolation. Kodiak bears have been genetically isolated since at least the last ice age (10,000 to 12,000 years ago) and very little genetic diversity exists within the population. This occurs inside the den during the sows winter hibernation. Hunters frequently seek the rare species to harvest its meat or simply claim it as a trophy. Growls are most common during only the most antagonistic of interactions. Kodiak Bears are only found in the Kodiak Archipelago towards the Southern part of Alaska, USA. Kodiak bears (Ursus arctos middendorffi) live on Kodiak Island or one of the nearby islands off the coast of southwestern Alaska. There have even been some reports of male Grizzly bears weighing over 1,600 pounds. But in the United States, there are two main subspecies. From the dense forests ofSitka spruceon the northern islands, to steep, glaciated mountains that rise to 4,470feet (1,360meters) along the central spine of Kodiak Island, to rolling hills and flat tundra on the south end, Kodiak bears are adaptable and use almost all habitat types on the Kodiak Archipelago. The total skull size is the sum of these two measurements. [3] Typical litter sizes on Kodiak are two or three cubs,[3] with a long-term average of 2.4 cubs per litter. [30] About once every other year, a bear injures a person on Kodiak. In the late summer and early fall, bears consume several types of berries when they reach their ripest point, and have the highest levels of sugar. The Kodiak Bears have been genetically isolated since the ice age. From May to late summer the salmon run offers plenty of fat-rich fish spawning in lakes and streams. Kodiak bears have been . [35], In 1971, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) resolved many long-standing land issues with Aboriginal Alaskans statewide. The Alaskan Peninsula provides an important habitat for fish, mammals, reptiles, and birds. The Kodiak bear is a subspecies of brown bear native to the Kodiak Archipelago in Alaska. The Kodiak Archipelago is a group of islands about 250 miles (400 km) southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, and can be accessed by ferry or small plane. Although deer, mountain goats and elk are present on the island, they do not make up a substantial portion of the diet. Biology Dictionary. A single bear may eat up to 40,000 moths in a day, picking its way and overturning boulders and rocks to reach the moths underneath. Grizzlies arent the only bears that can run fast. They will also scavenge carrion left behind by other predators. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Almost half of the cubs die before they leave,[21] with cannibalism by adult males being one of the major causes of death. For example, a bear's diet varies depending on what foods are available during a specific season in a specific region. [1] [3] In North America, the populations of brown bears are called grizzly bears, while the subspecies that inhabits the Kodiak Islands of Alaska is known as the Kodiak bear. Even if the bear population is healthy and bear hunting is sustainable, ethical questions arise especially if hunting occurs near viewing areas and either during or soon after the viewing season. According to zoo director Terry Lincoln, Clyde probably weighed close to 1,089kg (2,400lb) a year earlier. The oldest known wild Kodiak bear was a 34-year-old sow. Still, bears are regarded as a nuisance by others, raiding dumpsters or opening car doors looking for an easy meal. Discover Kodiak Bear territories!" - BearJewelry Cubs from the same litter can have different fathers. They are believed to have been isolated there since the last Ice Age over 10,000 years ago. These bears can be nearly as large as polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and include the largest brown bears (Ursus arctos) on record. The bears will emerge from their den that spring and begin foraging while the mother protects them fiercely. Pregnant sows are usually the first to go to dens; males are the last. However, not all brown bears are Grizzly bears or Kodiak Bears. [22] Sows are sometimes seen with five or six cubs in tow, probably due to adopting cubs from other litters. The Kodiak bear's color is similar to that of its close relatives, the mainland American Grizzly bear and Eurasian brown bears.[9]. The presence of salmon in places like Alaska and Canada offer a fat-rich food source that bears in areas such as Greater Yellowstone dont have access too. The wildlife of Alaska is both diverse and abundant. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. This classification makes the Kodiak bear the largest terrestrial carnivore in the world. The Kodiak bear is no exception to this and, despite its relative isolation, recent increases in the human population within its range have led to a predictable increase in encounters as well. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit that relies entirely on the support of visitors, merchandise sales and people like you. During the mating season, a breeding pair will spend several days or weeks together, culminating in copulation. Humans have hunted Kodiaks for millennia, although not in any intensive way until recent decades. While bears of the same species might look similar, everything from their size, coloring, diet, and sleeping patterns depend on the bear's location. However, about 1,400 can be found in the lower 48 states of the United States, in Montana and Wyoming around the Yellowstone area. mi). Hibernation and Behavior The abundance of food such as clams and sedge grass found along the coast help the bears reach their large sizes. Here are the 7 Layers of the Sun(Diagram), The 5 Zones of the Ocean(What Lives In Them), The 4 Layers of the Earth(With Diagrams). The Kodiak bear is much like other brown bears in intelligence, although its tendency to feed in large dense groups leads to more complex social behaviors. Some individuals have even weighed over 1,500 pounds! Like mentioned above, Grizzly bears are brown bears that live inland rather than along coastal regions. One of the attacks was fatal, with the hunter being killed by the bear, and occurred on Uganik Island (November 3, 1999), which is part of the Kodiak archipelago. The average time between litters is four years. Discover the Largest Kodiak Bear Ever Recorded - AZ Animals Within its range, there is estimated to be about 3 500 bears or about 700 bears per 1000 square miles, with populations apparently on the rise. Genetic samples from bears on Kodiak have shown that they are most closely related to brown bears on the Alaska Peninsula and Kamchatka, Russia, and all brown bears roughly north of the US. Similar in effect to other captive animals, Kodiak bears can sometimes attain weights that are considerably greater than those of their counterparts located in the wilderness. [23], The islands of the Kodiak Archipelago have a subpolar oceanic climate with cool temperatures, overcast skies, fog, windy conditions, and moderate to heavy precipitation throughout most of the year. What do bears eat? Males are larger than females, and both sexes show considerable variation in weight by season. Most Kodiak bears dig their dens in hill or mountain sides and they use a wide variety of denning habitats depending on which part of the archipelago they live. Most bears simply find what they can, such as crustaceans and shellfish in the intertidal area, until the fall arrives. If some bears avoid these areas because people are there, those bears may not get the fat and protein they need to make it through the upcoming winter. (Yes!). There is some scientific debate as to the number of subspecies of brown bears ( Ursus arctos ). Sixteen of the twenty largest brown bears killed by hunters have come from the Kodiak Archipelago. PO Box 161 This is where they get their name from. Their geographic location will also determine what food sources are readily available. The largest of the brown bears, is the Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi), is found only in the Kodiak archipelago islands along the southeastern coast of Alaska. Every bear that is legally killed on the archipelago must be inspected by an ADF&G wildlife biologist before it can be taken from the islands. To address the dilemma of conserving bears while protecting cattle, salmon, and people, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge by executive order in 1941. Brown bears in the north tend to be larger, most likely due to colder temperatures. Cold, treeless region in Arctic and Antarctic climates. This subspecies is particularly notable because of their immense size. Salmon runs extend from May through September on most of the archipelago and bears consume the five species of Pacific salmon that spawn in local streams and lakes. A surprising key food source Grizzlies in Yellowstone Park take advantage of during the summer is army cutworm moths. [8] Although the current population is healthy, productive, and has shown no overt adverse signs of inbreeding, it may be more susceptible to new diseases or parasites than other, more diverse brown bear populations. Almost 25 percent of the adult bears, almost always males, forgo denning, staying somewhat active throughout the winter.