Brown bears

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is recognisable by the muscular hump on its shoulders and its thick fur. Its coat can range from light blond to dark brown. North America's "grizzly" and Alaska's large Kodiak bears are subspecies of this species.

Where does it live?

Brown bears live in the forests, mountains and tundra of North America, Europe and Asia. In Türkiye they are found especially in the forested mountains of the Black Sea region and eastern Anatolia.

What does it eat?

It is an omnivore whose diet changes with the seasons. It eats grass, roots, fruit, nuts, acorns, insects, honey and fish; when it gets the chance it also hunts small and large mammals or scavenges. In some regions brown bears are famous for catching salmon in rivers.

Behaviour and social life

Apart from mothers with cubs, brown bears mostly live alone. In autumn they eat a great deal to store fat for winter. They spend the winter resting in a den, often one they dig themselves, with a lowered body temperature and metabolism.

Cubs

Cubs are born in the den during winter, usually 1–3 at a time. They are very small at birth and grow on their mother's milk in the den. Cubs stay with their mother for 2–3 years.

Conservation status

The brown bear is listed as Least Concern (LC) globally on the IUCN Red List. However, some regional populations are small and isolated. Habitat loss, conflict with people and illegal hunting are the main problems.

Fun facts

• Brown bears can run surprisingly fast over short distances.
• Their sense of smell is extremely keen.
• The shoulder hump is made of powerful muscles they use for digging.