The largest bear is white or grizzly. How much does a bear weigh on average? Which bear is the biggest? Who is bigger - brown or polar bear

Since ancient times, people have associated bears with power and strength. They were the object of worship among many peoples, they were deified, legends were composed about them. They are considered the largest land predators. Although these giants are omnivorous and enjoy honey, berries and roots. Clever clumsy bumpkins are happy to perform various tricks in the circus arena, they are able to deliver a lot of positive emotions in zoos. However, meeting with them natural environment habitat does not always promise a pleasant experience, especially if it is the largest bear in the world.

island giants

The palm of leadership among the "forest owners" is confidently held by the inhabitants North America. The largest individuals live off the southern coast of Alaska on the islands of the Kodiak archipelago. From him they got their name. These places are distinguished by the abundance of food and the absence natural enemies. Today, there are about 3 thousand animals on the islands.

- muscular animals with strong, long limbs. The coat is mostly dark brown, but lighter individuals are also found. Average weight males range from 480-530 kg, females - 225-315 kg. At the end of summer, some animals eat up to almost 700 kg. The height of the kodiak at the withers usually reaches 1.5 m. Having risen on his hind legs, he reaches a 3-meter mark. Although there are also larger individuals. This bear reaches its maximum parameters at the age of 6 and does not grow further.

Kodiaks are by nature loners, they form pairs only in mating season. They feed mainly on plant foods, love fish, and do not disdain carrion. They are quite peaceful. Cases of attacks on people fatal recorded only twice in 1921 and 1999. In both cases, inept hunters who injured the animal died. Kodiak males live up to 27 years, females - up to 34.

american scarecrows

Once upon a time, grizzlies were a thunderstorm of almost the entire North American continent. From Latin, its name is translated as "terrible bear." Their range is from Alaska to northern Mexico. The Indians considered it a great feat to defeat a grizzly. With coming white man the extermination of these bears began and now they live only in national parks and protected areas.

Grizzly- massive animals with long (up to 15 cm) claws that prevent them from climbing trees. Their skin is mostly dark brown, only on the neck and belly it has a lighter shade. Average weight males is 350-400 kg, body length - 2-2.4 m. Females are smaller by about one and a half times. After hibernation body weight usually decreases summer period increases by 20-30%.

Grizzlies have a tough, ferocious disposition. Meeting them does not bode well. Although it is worth noting that only 10% of individuals prefer a meat diet. The rest are content with plant foods, they love honey. By the way, all clubfoot are immune to bee stings. Grizzlies living near water bodies are excellent anglers.

ice dwellers

Another contender for the title of the largest bear in the world lives in the Arctic latitudes. This is the closest relative of the brown tramp - White. It is also called oshkuy, nanuk, umka, sea or northern bear. Long years they were killed for meat and skins. Now in Russia they are listed in the Red Book, and it is forbidden to hunt them. In other countries, restrictions have been introduced, quotas for the production of a polar bear.

Nanuka wool is translucent, the villi are hollow inside. This feature provides excellent thermal insulation properties. As a result of burnout, it can acquire a yellowish tint, and if algae settles in the wool, the bear can turn green. The skin of animals is black or very dark. Unlike other species, oshkuy has a flat head and long neck. The soles of the paws are covered with fur, which makes it easier to move on the ice. Between the fingers there are membranes for swimming and diving.

Basically, polar bears weigh up to half a ton and grow in length up to 2-2.5 m, the height at the withers is 1.5 m. There are also more massive individuals up to 3 m long. Females are much smaller. They can give birth to the first offspring only at 4 years old, and the next - after 2-3. The life expectancy of individuals is on average 25 years, in captivity they live up to their 40th anniversary.

Polar bears are vagrants by nature. In search of food, they are able to travel and swim gigantic distances. In hunting, they are helped by excellent hearing, sight and smell. Most often they eat caught fish, seals, found carrion. Oshkuy can lie for several hours waiting for the “victim”, and approaches it, covering his nose with his paw, so as not to give himself away. In the hungry period, it is able to wander into the villages, but usually does not show aggression towards people.

Clubfoot are the heroes of many legends and tales, and a lot of interesting facts have been collected about them:

• bears flaunt on many coats of arms of countries, provinces and cities (Greenland, Ontario, Berlin, Veliky Novgorod, Perm);
• Kodiak named Bart (1977-2000) - one of the most famous Hollywood animal actors, with a height of 2.9 m, weighed more than 700 kg;

• living in the Berlin Zoo in 1937, the Kodiak weighed about 1200 kg;
• the sharpness of the sense of smell of Kodiak is 4 times higher;
• the grizzly bear is the main figure on the California flag;
• in 2009, a man-eating grizzly weighing about 730 kg and more than 4 m long was killed in Alaska;
• the largest inhabited national park The Yellowstone grizzly weighed 408 kg, and in Katmai - more than 450 kg;
• since 2008, a 25 cent coin with the image of a grizzly fisherman has been put into circulation in the United States;

• the most famous polar bear, born in captivity, Knut (2006-2011);

• the nanuk is able to stay in the water for up to 9 days, during which time it travels a distance of several hundred miles;
• in the Pleistocene era (about 100 thousand years ago), a subspecies of a giant polar bear lived up to 4 m in length and weighing 1.2 tons;
• February 27 - International Polar Bear Day;
• oshkuy flaunts on Canadian and Austrian coins;
• one of the symbols of Sochi Olympic Games became a white bear.

Among the largest bears, one can single out the Kodiak brown bear, grizzly bear, and polar bear. These are all animals of enormous weight and length. There is also a record holder among teddy bears.

The biggest teddy bear

The record holder teddy bear, recognized as the largest in the world, has been welcoming visitors to the museum of plush toys every day for almost twenty years, standing at the entrance. The museum was located in the city of Statford. All this time he was the subject of admiration for young visitors. The height of this toy is three meters thirty centimeters. It is difficult to imagine what the weight of this giant is.

Over the years, the exhibition has been visited by at least a million people. Unfortunately, in 2007 the museum was closed, and this bear, like the rest of the exhibits, was put up for sale.

Large polar bears

Polar bears have several other names - this is a polar bear, sea, northern and oshkuy. The polar bear is descended from the brown one. The largest specimens grow up to three or more meters and can weigh about eight hundred kilograms, however, this is a rarity. Usually the male is within the length of two - two and a half meters, its weight does not exceed half a ton.

Outwardly, look and the brown bear have notable differences. The head of a polar bear is flat on an elongated neck, the ears are small. Wool is not only white, but also yellowish. Surprisingly, all polar bears have black skin. It is impossible to notice because of the dense coat.

Oshkuy lives in the northern hemisphere and feeds on walruses, seals, sea ​​hares and other marine animals. To catch them, the bear hides in a shelter, and then stuns them with a blow to the head.

Polar bears have long been listed in the Red Book. The reason is that they breed slowly, and their cubs often become the prey of other predators. These bears are hunted by poachers. Every year they destroy at least two hundred individuals.

Huge kodiak bears

One of the subspecies of brown bears is the Kodiak. Among the predators of the planet, he is the largest. This is confirmed by its size. The height at the withers of an individual of this subspecies reaches one and a half meters, and the length is about four meters. The weight of the giant bear is also striking. So, the female weighs a quarter of a ton, and the adult male is almost four hundred and fifty kilograms. These parameters are average, while there are instances that reach a weight of one ton.

The habitat of this subspecies is Kodiak Island and the islands of the Kodiak archipelago, that is, where winter does not last long and there is always a lot of different food. Like other bears, winter time Kodiaks go into hibernation. Their food is not only animals, these bears do not refuse carrion, they eat roots, berries and herbs. During the spawning period of salmon, kodiaks are happy to feast on them.

Animals mate in summer, and the development of a fertilized cell begins in autumn. No more than three cubs are born in January or February, when the female is in a state of hibernation. Children stay with their mother for the first three years of life.

Kodiaks are an endangered subspecies of brown bears. There are less than 3,000 of them left. However, according to official permission, one hundred and sixty individuals are shot annually.

The biggest grizzlies

Another large subspecies of the brown bear, considered the second largest after the Kodiak, is called the grizzly bear. Its habitat is Alaska and Canada. More recently, grizzlies could be found in Mexico. Outwardly, he is not particularly different from other brown bears. The only difference is the length of its claws, which can reach fifteen centimeters. It is for this reason that grizzlies never climb trees.

Some individuals weigh about a ton with a length of about four meters. From a distance, the grizzly appears slightly grayish, the reason is that, being brown, in some places it is covered with gray fur. While bears are small, their claws are still very small, which allows grizzlies to climb trees, destroy beehives and eat plant foods.

Main meals adult- Animal food. Grizzly bears are great at catching fish. It is very dangerous for a person to meet this predator. He can deal a fatal blow with one blow of his paw. This subspecies of the brown bear and the polar bear are known to interbreed.

The biggest bear in the world

The largest bear in history is considered to be a giant short-faced cave bear that once lived in South America. He is known as Arctodus. According to scientists, such bears lived from about two million years ago to five hundred thousand years ago. Skull of a short-faced cave bear

In 2006, a huge man-eating grizzly was killed in Alaska. If he could stand on his hind legs, he would be about four meters and thirty centimeters tall. The weight of the bear turned out to be seven hundred twenty-six kilograms.

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A small preface, if you want an introduction to the basic information about bear hunting and predators in general. They are one of the most exciting creatures of nature rightfully so. There are four types of bears in the world, of enormous size, some of which were killed in America, because it is the Americans who like to promote themselves in this way, to declare to the whole world about their prey. For all their pomposity, these people really showed outstanding results in hunting.

As a matter of fact, in order not to pull, let's start with their inhabitants. Black bears are the most common in North America. These guys live mainly in Alaska. The article will also touch on the Grizzlies, about which there are more anecdotes and stories than themselves. The question is why do they grow to such a size? First, they must live in an almost ideal habitat. Secondly, they must grow to a ripe old age in order to reach peak size, since young individuals cannot be larger than a car, unless they are some kind of mutant. Thirdly, in order to get a world size record, they must win a lottery, where Grand Prize— the perfect DNA, as one scientist put it. By the way, this is exactly what happens with people, because there are elders who are over a hundred years old, and now it doesn’t matter where they live and what they eat, they just exist, so the question is to human genetics. Let's take a look at the biggest bears, all four species that have been shot by hunters or found.

Kodiak

Let's start with this type. As noted earlier, this is an American, which is why many call it Alaskan. It should be noted that this is a subspecies of the drill bear. The world record is held by a certain Roy Lindsley, who shot a very large individual in 1952. The skull of this bear is currently owned by the Los Angeles County Museum. The largest specimens of brown bears usually weigh more than half a ton, and according to the stories of the hunter himself, his knees were trembling before the shot. The exact weight was not known, but it is said to have been around one ton. I want to note that many people mistakenly perceive the Grizzly as the most big bear. If we turn to the Guinness Book of Records, then it was Kodiak, it was in the states, Alaska, that researchers met a beast weighing 1,200 kg. It is not known how exactly the weight was known, maybe it was euthanized for experiments, but the information is just that.

Grizzly

Grizzly bears are just a joke to many, while others hunt them. They are another subspecies of the brown bear and a close relative in size to the Alaskan bear. But while in Alaska brown bears live on the coast, grizzlies live inland and have adapted to unique living conditions over time. Oh, and how many cases when this wonderful species attacked tourists in the forest. But scientists note that the more Grizzlies adapt to urban conditions, the smaller they become from year to year. The largest Grizzly, which was seen by a hunter, but was found dead, unfortunately, still in the same place, in Alaska, weighed about 980 kg. The largest, which was mined by a certain Larry Fitzgerald in 2013 in Alaska. Its weight was about 700 kilograms, which is at least impressive. Large grizzly bears are shot every year in Alaska and British Columbia. Therefore, it is not recommended to go there as a tourist, set up your campsite there and sleep peacefully in a tent. There is already an article here about how to choose the right place for a camp, and the topic of wild, predatory world to be taken into account - to read .

Black bear

The black bear is a very popular hunting object, but mainly throughout Canada. They also live in the states, and most importantly, local farms actively breed this species and invite hunters. Alaska ranks high "in the production of giant black bears," and again she, again this state, the territory that was once ours. Twelve of the 25 largest black bears in the book of records came from Pennsylvania, where they were discovered. Also, large individuals are regularly found in Wisconsin. As noted earlier, a large bear is the result of two main aspects: excellent habitat and age. Both states have a mix of crops and big forest, which create an ideal habitat that promotes the growth of animals. Despite this, the largest individual was mined in Utah, weighing about 600 kilograms.

Polar bear

The polar bear is considered the largest ground predator. Hunting for them is certainly a cool thing, and how much the skins cost is more expensive than all carbines. But know that only the natives of the places where they live can produce this giant. Large individuals are so huge that the weight can exceed one ton. If you measure the length, then imagine that he stood on his hind legs, then his full height about 4 meters. Actually, the question of fighting him, for example, with a knife, does not arise, it is a sin to even think about it. The value of the skin is so high that more and more poachers go after it, more and more confiscated, thanks to vigilant law enforcement. All polar bears that entered the record book were found before 1968. This is due to the activity of all the same illegal hunters, or the environment affects it, but the fact is that they do not become more, but rather decrease in size.

Everything about the species, and now the records in numbers. They are measured in inches, the size of a bears skull by which its gigantism is judged. This is not about the Guinness book, but about those who got the arrows.

Kodiak - 30 11/16;

Grizzlies - 27 13/16;

Black - 23 10/16;

Polar - 29 15/16.

As can be seen from the numbers, from the skulls, the Kodiak is able to compete with the white in size, and maybe some individuals grow to sizes that are superior to whites.

Video about the battle of the giants

And this video is concocted from a photo, and one of the photos, which is black and white, just shows the same giant specimen, a record.

Post Views: 2 473

The bear is one of the most large mammals animals. He is the hero of the epic, fairy tales and legends. You can see a brown bear in the zoo, but to see a grizzly bear you have to go to the Americas.

That's how it's called brown bear subspecies living in North America. The distribution area of ​​\u200b\u200bthis animal belongs to Alaska and western regions Canada. In the United States, the bear is found in the famous Yellowstone Nature Reserve, in Montana and in the northwestern part of Washington.

In fact, today it is not known for certain which bear should be called "grizzly". Most often this is what the mainland American race is called.

Many researchers believe that the grizzly is better known as the North American brown bear (its other name), a separate species that lives in the depths of the North American mainland, as well as at Cape Kodiak.

The very first mention of the grizzly dates back to 1784, when the English naturalist Thomas Pennant first wrote about him. Although the scientist himself did not see the animal either alive or even dead, he compiled a description of the grizzly, guided by data taken from the hiking records of American pioneers.

In 1806, during the exploration of new territories by General Zebulon Pike, two grizzly bear cubs were presented to the American society, which the military hurried to present to the then President Thomas Jefferson.

The grizzly was described again as early as 1815 as a "terrible bear".

Since 1967, "grizzlies" have been the name for all large-sized bears living in Alaska.

Characteristics of the animal

According to the structure of its body, the grizzly is very similar to its East Siberian relative. Such a bear has a very impressive large size - from 450 kilograms and above. He prefers to live on the coast and mostly eats salmon fish. Those individuals that are found in the forest are vegetarians and scavengers.

The size of the animal, the color of its coat and lifestyle determine the conditions in which it constantly resides.

Relationship with a person

The American pioneers, who described the grizzly as a severe and ferocious animal, constantly thirsting for human blood, obviously embellished their stories, as a result of which people had an erroneous idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe bear.

A bear will never consider a person as its potential prey, unless this very person openly attacks him, or the animal does not experience severe hunger.

Farmers throughout the 19th century, as well as at the very beginning of the 20th century, actively exterminated the grizzly population, thereby trying, according to them, to protect their livestock from attacks. Many animals were killed as a trophy.

Grizzlies are currently protected by the US federal government, modern animals mostly live in national parks.

Brown or common bear It is customary to call a predatory animal of large size, belonging to the bear family.

IN old times the brown bear lived throughout the European continent, it could also be seen in a number of Asian countries (China, Japan).

Today it is found in the Scandinavian countries (Scandinavia, Norway), in the western part of Europe (Pyrenees, Alps, Apennines), in Finland, the Carpathians, Russia, Japan, China, the Korean Peninsula and so on. In Finland, this animal has the status of a sacred one.

To date, there are about 80 subspecies of this animal, among which the most famous are:

1. Appeninsky.
2. Tien Shan.
3. Japanese.
4. Kodiak.
5. Tibetan and so on.

Appearance of a brown bear

Brown bear weight varies from 400 tons(smallest specimens) kilogram up to 1000 kilograms(larger animals). Males are always about 1.5 times larger than females.

The bear has a powerful body with a huge muzzle, on which relatively small ears and eyes are located. The tail of the animal is small in size, only about 65 - 210 millimeters, so it is not very visible because of the thick hair. The bear has huge powerful paws with five fingers, at the ends of which there are long (up to 10 centimeters) non-retractable claws. The coat of the animal is evenly colored, thick.

The color of a brown bear can vary not only within different parts distribution area, but also within the same area of ​​​​residence. Fur color can be light fawn, brown, black, grayish white.

The bear sheds only once a year, this period lasts from spring to autumn.

lifestyle

The bear is considered a forest dweller: in Russia, he prefers to settle in forests where windbreaks predominate, in Europe - in mountain forests, in North and South America - on the coast and on open area(tundra), as well as in alpine meadows.

What do grizzlies and brown bears have in common?

• The grizzly is a subspecies of the brown bear, in fact, they are the same animal.
• They eat the same food.

Differences

1. The grizzly bear lives primarily in North America.
2. In a grizzly on the neck you can see white hair - a collar.
3. The grizzly bear has large claws.
4. The brown bear found in Russia is much smaller than the grizzly, which can grow up to three meters in length.
5. The grizzly is more mobile than its brown counterpart.

Among the diversity of the animal world, the family of bears stands out. For many, the animal has been associated with two concepts since childhood - polar bears and those that perform in the circus. But among the eight species of bears, there are big differences in the characteristics of their habitat, food and habits. It has been proven that the intelligence of a bear is higher than that of a dog. Among predators, bears are the largest animals. Are you curious to know which of the clumsy family is the largest bear in the world?

Kodiak is the largest bear in the world

Just like humans, bears have their own champions. The largest brown bear on the planet is the Kodiak. These giants live on the islands of the Kodiak archipelago, off the coast of Alaska. Like all brown bears, Kodiak is omnivorous.

A young bear can be identified by a narrow white strip around the neck, which disappears by the age of two. Most large sizes Kodiak reaches the age of six years. The life expectancy of Kodiaks is 20–25 years. Males live less than females.

The male weighs 500–700 kg. In length reaches 2.5-3 meters. The Kodiak giant weighing 757 kg lived in the Colorado Springs Zoo.

Although the Kodiak is considered a very cruel predator, it rarely attacks people and tries to avoid meeting them. During the 20th century, there were only two recorded cases of a fatal collision between a person and Kodiak.

Now the number of kodiaks is gradually increasing: there are already about three and a half thousand of them. Animals are protected by the US government.

The biggest bears in the world

For the curious, we have compiled a list of the largest bears in the world:

Polar bear

Courageous polar bears manage to survive in extreme conditions. So they had to become so smart and resourceful. Scientists equate the intelligence of a polar bear with that of a monkey. His distinguishing feature- white fur. But his hair follicles are transparent hollow tubes.

Although the size of the bear is impressive, it can reach speeds of up to 40 km / h. Polar bears are very clean. After eating, they spend up to half an hour on their toilet. The life expectancy of a polar bear is 20–25 years, although it can live in a zoo for 30–35 years.

A close relative of the Kodiak, the grizzly is also recognized as one of the largest bears in the world. Grizzlies live in Alaska and Canada. An adult bear weighs 400–450 kg. The length is not less than three meters.

The predator feeds on fish, but can also pick up carrion. Grizzlies are considered one of the most ferocious animals. The bear is even credited with cannibalism.

Another one from large species. Its length is two meters. An adult male weighs 300–350 kg. The bear is easily recognizable by its black fur.

Baribal is distributed almost throughout Canada and the United States of America. The diet of baribal is dominated by plant foods. He also loves to eat fish. There were cases when baribals hunted sheep and pigs.

Until now, researchers are arguing about which of the bear family is considered the most big bear on the planet. And who will you give the palm to?