Grizzly Bear Facts

A Grizzly Bear Cub Can Not Survive If It Lost Its Mother

The chances for a grizzly bear cub surviving without learning from the experience of it's mother is greatly reduced. A cub learns by building on their mothers knowledge.

The cub needs to avoid man and be prepared for the long winter rest. The mother bear shows her young cubs were to find the sweet berries in the forest.

The grizzly cubs are lead to the wild honey and the mother bear teaches her cubs how to eat the honey from the comb. Their tough hide protects them from the sting of a bee.

A Grizzly Bear Cub Will Starve To Death If It Doesn't Listen To Its Mother

Young grizzly cubs must be trained in the proper habits of eating. Their survival is related to eating the right kinds of food in the correct portions during each season of the year.

The mother bear will instruct the cubs on what food is available and when. Under her guidance they will learn where to find food and how to eat each type of food. Many stones are turned over in search of grub worms.

When a bear does not learn how to prepare for hibernation, he will be looking for food during months when done is available. A cub will be seriously threaten with malnutrition if he thought he could eat during this time.

The Mother Grizzly Bear Will Spank Her Cubs.

The young grizzly bear cub has a very inquisitive nose and an independent spirit. This can put the young cubs into serious danger if mother bear didn't exercise continual protection.

During the cubs period of training the grizzly mother is in constant communication with them. She expects them to pay attention to her instructions. If the cub doesn't listen, for all misdemeanors they are quickly spanked and sent ahead of the mother crying.

Even with this constant watchfulness on the mothers part, the cubs often receive the natural consequences of their independent spirit. The unpleasant spray from a striped skunk will be a reminder to the cub.

Curiosity Can Kill A Grizzly Bear Cub.

Without the watchful eye of the mother grizzly, a curious cub could approach a porcupine. The quills have small barbs something like the ones on a fish hook.

Once a quill is stuck into a cub it is almost impossible for the bear to remove it. Trying to pull a quill out could push it deeper into their flesh. An encounter with a porcupine could be fatal to a young cub.
 
 
 

A Grizzly Bear Cub Has To Learn Fear.

The mother grizzly bear has the ability to quickly know when danger is near. She takes a great deal of care and time in teaching her young cubs what to do when danger approaches.

A baby bear fears nothing. They are not born with a natural fear of their enemies. The mother bear teaches her young cubs that there are great dangers that need to be avoided.

Some enemies that the cub needs to learn to avoid are the wolf, the puma and most of all man.

The Grizzly Bear Is A Fast Digger.

The gopher is known for his digging ability, but he is no match to the speed of a bear. The grizzly bear uses his powerful arm and shoulder muscles to dig out gophers, ground hogs and other rodents.

The bear's three to five inch long claws make them an extremely fast digger. When using her claws a bear is well equip for digging rodents from their dens and tearing decaying logs for grubs and honey.
 
 

The Grizzly Bear Digs Its Own Den.

The black bear is content to spend the winter in a hollow tree or a natural cavity. But, not the grizzly bear they dig their own den.

The grizzly bear digs a tunnel in the slope of a hill that will receive deep snow exposure. The deep snow is insulation during the cold, bitter winter.

Selecting a hillside location also provides a source of drainage, which prevents the spring rains from flooding the den.

The grizzly bear gathers evergreen branches and leaves for cushioning the hard den floor. The bear takes great care in constructing an environment that is comfortable and warm during the long winter months.

A Grizzly Bear Doesn't Sweep Fish Out Of The Water With Its Paws.

The grizzly bear is alert and aware to the time of year when the salmon will be returning to their spawning grounds. Salmon are a large part of the bear's diet during the peak of their migrational run.

People have thought that a bear batted a fish out of the water with their paw. This isn't true, a bear wades into the water and waits for a passing fish. When the bear sees a fish she pins the fish against a hard surface. After the bear pins the fish to the bottom of the stream or a rock, they then carry the fish to shore in their month.

The Grizzle Bear Eats Nothing Before Entering Its Winter Den.

Before a grizzly bear enters the winter den they eat nothing. In this way they begin their extended period of rest with their stomach and intestines clean and empty.

During this period of inactivity hardly any energy is used, therefore very little if any of their stored fat is lost.
 
 
 
 

The Grizzly Bear Does Not Hibernate.

Technically the grizzly bear does not hibernate and can be awaken from its sleep by an intruder. Within minutes, the bear is wide awake and alert to its surroundings. Some have seen a grizzly appear in the middle of winter at the entrance of their den.

During a true hibernation an animal would not wake up. The bear is mealy taking a long rest. The grizzly bear usually goes into their winter den just before a heavy snowstorm.

During the winter nap, the grizzly bear is rejuvenated. Their stomach is clean and rested. The front paw claws, worn down from months of digging, are growing back to their normal 5 inches.

The grizzly cubs are born during the winter nap. They are protected and kept warm in the den. The mother bear wastes no energy searching for food that isn't there.

Threatened and Endangered Species: Grizzly Bear Ursus arctos

OFFICIAL STATUS: Threatened. Threatened species are species that are likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of their range.

LIFE HISTORY: Grizzly bears have one of the lowest reproductive rates of any mammal. Females do not breed until 4-7 years of age and usually produce cubs every 3 years.

Usually, 2 cubs are born in the den and spend the next 2 years with the mother. The breeding season extends from about mid-April to mid-July.

Except for groups of females with cubs, grizzly bears are solitary animals but do concentrate at rich feeding sites. Grizzlies eat a wide variety of plant and animal foods.

REFERENCES: Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1993.