grizzly Archives - Bear Aware

Black Bears vs. Grizzly Bears – What’s the difference?

Paige Sullins — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 23:10:20 +0000

This time of year, the greater Yellowstone ecosystem is one of the best places in the world to view bears in their natural habitat. But it can be difficult to determine what kind of bear you’re looking at! Black bears and grizzly bears are both species of bears found in Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and other parts of North America. While they share some similarities, there are several key differences between them.

Here are some of the main distinctions between grizzlies and black bears:

1. Size: Grizzly bears are significantly larger than black bears. Adult male grizzlies can weigh between 400 and 1,000 pounds (180-450 kg) and stand about 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall when on their hind legs. Adult male black bears, on the other hand, generally weigh between 150 and 600 pounds (68-270 kg) and stand about 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall.

2. Physical Appearance: Black bears have a sleek and slender build with a small head and rounded ears. They have shorter claws compared to grizzlies. Their fur can range in color from black to brown, cinnamon, or even blond. Grizzly bears have a larger and more muscular body with a pronounced shoulder hump. They have a concave facial profile, long claws, and prominent shoulder muscles. Grizzly bears have a distinctive grizzled appearance, with fur that varies in color from light brown to dark brown, often with white-tipped guard hairs.

3. Range: Black bears have a wider distribution and can be found in various habitats across North America, including forests, swamps, and mountains. They are also found in parts of Mexico. Grizzly bears, also known as brown bears, are primarily found in the western and northwestern parts of North America, including Alaska, western Canada, and parts of the United States, such as Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.

4. Behavior: Black bears are generally more adaptable and less aggressive than grizzly bears. They are excellent climbers and often retreat to trees when threatened. Black bears are primarily omnivorous, feeding on a wide range of food, including berries, nuts, insects, small mammals, and carrion. Grizzly bears are more powerful and tend to have a more aggressive disposition. They are primarily omnivorous but have a more carnivorous diet than black bears. Grizzlies are known to hunt larger mammals, such as elk and moose, and they are more likely to scavenge for carrion.

5. Hibernation: Both black bears and grizzly bears undergo a period of hibernation during the winter months, but there are some differences in their hibernation patterns. Black bears tend to have a shorter hibernation period, typically lasting around 3-5 months. Grizzly bears, especially those in colder regions, may have a longer hibernation period of up to 6-8 months.

6. Conservation Status: Black bears have a more stable population and are listed as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, some localized populations of black bears, such as the Louisiana black bear, are listed as threatened. Grizzly bears, on the other hand, have a more vulnerable conservation status. They are listed as threatened or endangered in several regions due to habitat loss, hunting, and human-wildlife conflicts.

It’s important to note that these are general differences and there can be variations within each species.

The “cinnamon” colored black bear (pictured) can be spotted in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, but only a keen eye would recognize this guy as a black bear!

The post Black Bears vs. Grizzly Bears – What’s the difference? appeared first on Bear Aware.

History of Bear Feeding in Yellowstone National Park

Bear Aware — Wed, 17 May 2023 20:20:46 +0000

The history of bear feeding in Yellowstone National Park dates back to the early days of the park. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, visitors to the park would often feed bears in order to attract them for viewing and photography.

In the 1920s, the National Park Service began actively encouraging bear feeding as a way to attract visitors and generate revenue for the park. Feeding stations were set up throughout the park, and rangers would even bring food to bears in order to ensure their presence in certain areas.

Pictured: Yellowstone “Lunch Counter for Bears Only” in the 1930’s.

As the popularity of bear feeding grew, so did concerns about the impact on the bears and their natural behavior. Bears became increasingly habituated to humans and dependent on handouts, leading to a rise in aggressive behavior and dangerous interactions with park visitors.

In the 1960s, the National Park Service began to phase out bear feeding in Yellowstone, recognizing the negative impact it was having on the bears and the potential danger to visitors. Almost a decade later, in 1970 the practice was officially banned in the park. Since the 1960’s, the recorded number of negative encounters between humans and bears has dropped from 48 to 1 annually.

Since the ban on bear feeding, the park has worked to educate visitors on the importance of keeping a safe distance from bears and avoiding interactions that could lead to habituation or dangerous behavior. The park also employs a number of strategies to manage human-bear interactions, such as bear-resistant food storage containers, encouraging park visitors to carry bear spray, and establishing designated viewing areas where visitors can safely observe bears in their natural habitat.

Pictured: Yellowstone National Park’s first superintendent, Horace Albright, sharing a meal with three bears in the park.

Today, the park’s policies on bear feeding are strict, with heavy fines and penalties for visitors who intentionally feed bears or leave food or garbage out in areas where bears can access it. You can even serve time in jail for feeding bears and other wildlife. The goal is to ensure that bears in Yellowstone remain wild and self-sufficient, and that visitors can enjoy the park’s natural beauty and wildlife without putting themselves or the animals at risk.

The post History of Bear Feeding in Yellowstone National Park appeared first on Bear Aware.

Do You Carry Bear Spray While Traveling In Grizzly Country?

Bear Aware — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 21:41:19 +0000

If you’ve spent any time in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, you know it’s a good idea to carry bear spray. But, because it’s not allowed on planes, many visitors find themselves with a dilemma: spend $50 on a can just to discard it during the airport’s security check, or hike without — a dangerous gamble.

The good news is, there’s another option: rent it from Bear Aware!. By reusing a product rather than buying it new, you’ll be making the more sustainable choice and keeping it out of the waste stream. And besides that it’s cost-effective — we set our rates so that renting bear spray is always cheaper, no matter how long you need it. Each can even comes with a holster, so you can keep it accessible at all times.

It might sound like a hassle to plan your trip around returning bear spray (say, if you want to start in one place and end somewhere hours away). But our broad network makes it easy to pick up bear spray almost anywhere in the region, and drop it off anywhere else, from the town of Jackson to every corner of Yellowstone National Park. Many of our locations have after-hours drop boxes, so you can stop by 24/7 to return. And if your travels take you to bear country farther afield, we also offer cans for purchase. Check out our website for more detailed information about each location.

Another advantage to renting or buying from Bear Aware: We won’t just throw you to the bears, armed with a weapon you don’t know how to use. It’s essential that you practice before taking bear spray into the field. You want the process to feel like second nature, so you can deploy it at a moment’s notice relying on muscle memory. Using empty training cans, we’ll show you how to hold the can, remove the safety mechanism, and aim properly to create an effective barrier between you and the bear. With the knowledge and training our experienced team provides, you’ll be prepared to keep yourself (and the local wildlife) safe.

For that matter, bear spray seems to be effective against just about any aggressive animal — bison, moose, mountain lions and more. George Hyde, the general manager at Counter Assault, a leading bear spray manufacturer, has said that “if it has eyes and lungs, people have sprayed it.” This works because the spray contains capsaicin, the same active ingredient as pepper spray, mixed with an accelerant to produce a broad mist. As soon as any creature gets a good whiff of it, they’ll suddenly be much more preoccupied with their own problems than with attacking you.

The post Do You Carry Bear Spray While Traveling In Grizzly Country? appeared first on Bear Aware.