Grizzly Bear's Fact

Grizzly Bear

Did you know that the grizzly bear (Ursus horribilis) can weigh up to 800lbs and reach heights of up to 8 foot when standing on its rear legs. With such mass and size you would expect it to be extremely slow but despite such size it can sprint at speeds as high as 40km/h which is faster than an olympic athlete.

In terms of behaviour and temperament the grizzly bear is a solitary animal sticking to itself except during mating season. Its reputation of being extremely aggresive is a little exaggerated as in most cases it won’t go out of its way to hunt humans or cause trouble.

So why do people fear the grizzly so much ? Well much of its aggressive reputation stems from the fact that it can’t climb trees very well, which is what most bears do to avert danger. This ultimately means that a threatened grizzly is more likely to stand its ground and attack an oncoming threat rather than running and hiding.

So despite the stories and the movies, the grizzly in most cases is unlikely to go on aggressive hunting sprees. More so they’re omnivores so will just as happily consume berries, fruits, pine nuts and roots.