| Joined: | Thu Apr 19th, 2012 |
| Location: | United Kingdom |
| Posts: | 4424 |
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No, the grizzlies are generally much smaller than either the European or North American brown bears. It's really just a matter of definition and food supply. If a bear (other than a black bear) lives along the pacific coast, it is, by an arbitrary definition, a brown bear. The same bear, should it cross over the coastal ranges would, again by definition, be called a grizzly. Coastal bears have access to a rich food supply, while inland bears have a more limited source of provender (which also makes them more hair-triggered than brownies). It's been shown that all bears continue to gain weight and get larger throughout their life, so better fed bears are bigger bears. There are actually some black bears that are larger than grizzlies.Thanks - that's a very interesting insight.
When my wife Jean and I wander among the Kodiak island bears, we seldom encounter aggressive behaviour, but we would never dream of approaching an inland grizzly in a similar fashion. That's not to say that the Kodiaks are pussy cats, we have had some unpleasant experiences with individal animals of both sexes. - EdM
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Eric