Grizzly and Black Bear Facts

Bears have excited the human imagination since man first encountered his first bear. Bears are referenced in ancient literature and legends of bears abound. Bears are perplexing to many people. We have the loveable teddy bear, but paradoxically also learn that bears are to be feared and are dangerous. The Rocky Mountains in Canada are famous for its grizzly and black bears, especially the Grizzly Bear Viewing in Lake Louise, and are on most tourist’s wish list of Canadian wildlife to see. They are both fascinating species in their own right and will captivate anyone fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of one. Read on for some fascinating bear facts.

Grizzly bears are formidable animals weighing in at 300-500 kg (600 – 1000 lbs) while black bears are smaller weighing in at 90-270 kg (200-600 lbs) but are still the largest Canadian wildlife in the Rocky Mountains. Contrary to popular belief, the way to tell the difference between a grizzly bear and a black bear is not by colour, since both species can have light brown to darker hair. Grizzly bears are most easily identified by the large hump in their back, giving them a humpback appearance. Black bears do not have this hump. The hump on the grizzly bear is actually solid muscle that they use for digging. Grizzly bears also have more grizzled fur (think bed head); while black bears have smoother, shinier looking hair (like they just came from the salon). Learning to tell the difference between a grizzly and black bear is an important bear fact, not to mention your friends will be impressed.

Despite their size, both grizzly and black bears come from humble beginnings. One of my favourite bear facts is that bears are born blind weighing less than half a pound and are completely helpless. Fortunately they are born in January or February in the safety of a den while the mother is hibernating. This gives them time to get bigger and stronger before facing life outside the den in the Rocky Mountains, not to mention other Canadian wildlife that would be eager to prey on them – including other male bears. Mothers usually give birth to two to three cubs, and usually at least one of them won't survive their first year, a sad bear fact.

A surprising bear fact is that both grizzly and black bear’s diet is ~80-90% vegetation consisting of nuts, berries, roots, fruits and leaves. Most humans eat more meat than bears do! When grizzly and black bears do eat meat, it is usually insects, small rodents, fish or even the odd moose. If you want to see prime grizzly bear habitat look no further than Bourgeau Lake in Banff National Park. Not only is there a lake for tasty fish, but the other side of the lake is surrounded by an open meadow and berry bushes, prime grizzly and black bear habitat at its best.

There are currently less than 600 grizzly bears in the province of Alberta but as I write this (Sept 2009), the government is debating whether to lift the ban on the grizzly bear hunt despite all the bear facts about the low numbers. Fish and Wildlife officials argue that grizzly bears are coming into contact too often with humans and that the grizzly bear hunt is necessary to keep the population in check. Conservation, environmental groups and most of the general public argue that the grizzly bear should be listed as an endangered species (it’s currently listed as a special concern) and are appalled that this is even being considered. Yes bears, can be dangerous to people, but with certain precautions (i.e. making noise so that you don’t surprise the bear, hiking in groups, etc. and knowing bear facts – a bear safety hub is coming soon), grizzly and black bears are rarely aggressive. I have had several encounters with grizzly bears, and none of them have been aggressive (a bear encounter hub coming soon). In fact, my two most raising experiences with bears were with black bears. I am severely disappointed that my government is even considering reinstating the hunt which kills ~14 bears each year it takes place. Unfortunately, black bears are hunted every year in Alberta with little if any debate. Both grizzly and black bears biggest threat is that posed by an incredibly invasive overbearing species of Canadian wildlife - humans. As we continue to encroach upon bear habitat, bear and human contact is inevitable and not usually positive for either species. Learn another surprising fact about bears and sign your name to a letter that is send to key Government of Alberta officials that urges for proper grizzly bear funding and protection takes less than a minute.  Your suport is appreciated.

The best place for seeing a grizzly or black bear is from the safety of your car. I’ve most often seen grizzly and black bears along the road in Waterton National Park, especially on the road to Red Rock Canyon. The Banff-Jasper Highway is another good place to spot grizzly and black bears. A resident female grizzly bear calls Chester Lake in Kananaskis home and another one calls Mt. Indefatigable, near the Upper Kananaskis Lakes in Kananaskis home. A male grizzly bear can also be found on highway 40 south of Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in Kananaskis. Lake Louise in Banff National Park is also home to numerous grizzly bears. None of these bears are known to be aggressive, but again certain precautions and knowledge of bear facts are necessary. I was fortunate enough to spend one summer as a volunteer for Banff National Park collecting grizzly bear fur DNA that was being collected from barb wire attached to trees as part of a study on grizzly bears. Although we found hair, on the barbed wires, I never saw a grizzly bear, enough though I knew they were likely in the area. The trails that we covered were all in Banff National Park and included: Bourgeau Lake, Arnica Lake, Rockbound Lake and Healy Creek.

Many people are afraid of bears, and while they can be dangerous, most bears are not aggressive unless provoked, but they do deserve a healthy respect and if you are in bear country it is imperative that you learn some basic bear facts. It is one of life’s great marvels to see a grizzly or black bear in their wild habitat. Besides bears, there’s lots of other Canadian wildlife in the Rocky Mountains to observe, including the most endangered species in Banff National Park – it may surprise you, hint, it’s not the grizzly bear. Have a bear story? Please feel free to share it below.