What does grizzly mean in the first place?
The name grizzly bear derives from the grizzled appearance of its fur. grizzle means grey or grey hair. It is so called because of the grey tips of its fur, especially on its back and shoulders.
In reality, grizzly coats vary in colour from grey and blonde to brown and almost black. It is distinguished from the black bear by the muscular hump on its shoulders. (Although it is usually recognisable by its size.) The hump on the shoulder is due to the muscles required for the intensive digging work they often perform.
The North American brown bear is iconic due to its formidable size and distinctive appearance, and appears in the folklore of the indigenous peoples of the regions it inhabits. Because of its grey coat, it often represents the wisdom of elders in mythology.
Profile of the grizzly bear
A mature grizzly bear is between 6 and 9 ft long, or 1.8 m to 2.7 m in metres. They weigh between 400 and 800 lb, but males weighing over 1000 lb, or 450 kg, have been recorded.
Grizzlies are between 6 and 9 ft long, or 1.8 m to 2.7 m in metres. They weigh between 400 and 800 lb, with some males weighing over 1,000 lb (450 kg). Male grizzlies are generally considerably larger than females.
However, the offspring are of this size. They are real teddy bears.
Where do they live?
The USA and Canada are the main countries with the highest concentrations of populations. The US grizzly bear population is estimated to be around 1,800, the majority of which live in Alaska. There are approximately 25 000 grizzlies in Canada.
What about grizzlies in Mexico? One might think, but Mexico has a surprisingly small population, with the last sighting in the late 1960s, and they are now thought to have been extinct in the region since then.
The grizzly’s range is ridiculously vast, depending on the availability of food sources. They are known to migrate according to the availability of different seasonal food sources, moving to higher altitudes in summer and to salmon runs in autumn. This results in the spreading of marine minerals to the mountains. They play a very important role in ecosystems, including forests and the organisms that grow there.
Unlike other large carnivores, grizzlies are not territorial. They have a habitat range where they frequent, but their range often overlaps with that of other bears. The extent of grizzly bear home ranges is variable, depending on the abundant food sources in the area.
When it comes to nesting, they do not dig a new den every year. Nest holes, usually on north-facing slopes, are often re-used. These burrows have an insulating effect and are usually dug into the sides of hills or under tree roots.
What are their favourite foods?
In terms of lifespan, captive grizzlies live up to 30 years. The oldest grizzly, named ‘Gizmo’, reached a staggering 50 years of age in a Canadian wildlife reserve. This is almost double their lifespan in the wild, which is usually between 20 and 25 years.
Grizzlies are omnivorous. Specifically, they eat plants, insects and animals. Their diet varies with the seasons and ranges from berries, nuts and fruits to fish, small mammals and carrion. They are also known to dig for rodents and eat large quantities of insects such as moths and beetles.
The San Francisco Zoo, known for its ‘Grizzly Gulch’, has two protected sisters, Kachina and Kiona. The zoo encourages people to respect and protect grizzlies through exhibits such as this one.
They have few natural enemies, and most mortality is due to human contact and competition between bears.
Grizzly bear recovery programmes are currently being implemented in areas where grizzly bear populations have declined. These programmes include habitat protection, public education on bear safety and regulations to reduce bear-human conflict, with the aim of sustainably increasing grizzly bear numbers.
Grizzly bear abilities
In fact, grizzlies are also excellent swimmers. They can cross large bodies of water. This skill is particularly useful in areas such as the coast of British Columbia, Canada, where they swim between islands in search of food.
Furthermore, they are excellent hunters and fishermen. During the salmon spawning season, they stand in rivers and use their powerful jaws and waving paws to catch salmon.
And in areas where fish are abundant, they do nothing more than the fastest. It is the ultimate in martial arts, where the fish comes to the mouth. (It would be hell to see it in VR from the fish’s point of view…)
Grizzly bears have human-like eyesight and hearing. But their sense of smell is as acute as that of Sumijiro, the protagonist of the 2020 Japanese film Oni-En no Kai (Blade of the Demon), which went viral in Japan.
Thanks to this acute sense of smell, they can locate food and mates in forests where ordinary people would be lost. Sometimes they can even detect potential threats at a distance. (And it is often another bear.)
Despite their size and strength, they are surprisingly dexterous with their paws. They can manipulate objects, turn over rocks and dig with considerable precision when foraging. This dexterity is also used to communicate through marks left on trees and the ground.
They also have long claws that are curved and do not expand or contract, which helps them to dig and rip. The foot structure, with large pads and wide toes, helps to gain traction, or friction, on uneven and varied terrain.
They have a complex communication system, including body language, vocalisation and marking by the above-mentioned smells. They express a range of emotions and intentions through grunts, growls and snorts. They rub their bodies against trees not only to scratch but also to leave their own scent.
Grizzly bear family
A mother grizzly bear usually gives birth to one to four cubs during hibernation. These cubs are blind and hairless and weigh only about 1 lb at birth, or 450 g in grams.
The cubs stay with their mothers for up to two to three years, during which time the mothers teach the cubs to hunt, fish and forage.
Young bears play. This play is not just a pastime but an important part of their development that helps them learn survival skills such as fighting and hunting. They are often seen wrestling, playing chase and also playing with objects.
How do bears hibernate?
Their thick fur and substantial fat layer help them to maintain their body temperature and survive in cold weather. This adaptation is essential for survival during harsh winters, especially during hibernation.
In preparation for hibernation, grizzly bears go through a phase known as overeating. During this period, they consume a whopping 20,000 calories a day, a calorie intake that would surprise even sumo wrestlers and professional wrestlers. And they put on several kilograms of fat every day.
During hibernation, the grizzly’s heart rate drops from 40-50 beats per minute to a whopping 10 beats per minute. Despite this, they do not eat, drink, urinate or defecate during hibernation. Instead, they recycle their urine into protein, preventing muscle loss.
Finally, here. This is a video with 490 bad ratings compared to 1000 good ratings. The destruction of a house when you are sleeping and waking up from sleep due to forced eviction is indeed something that no one can stand. Whether you love or hate bears, this is on their side. I personally think the Good rating is because I inadvertently laughed in sympathy with the bears.
Don’t pray he had a good second sleep after he ran off deep into the woods.
コメント