Where does the brown bear live?
The brown bear lives in Eurasia and North America. Throughout its range, it inhabits mainly forested habitats, up to 5,000 m in altitude. In parts of coastal Alaska, it feeds mostly on spawning salmon that come near the shore. For most of the year it lives alone, associating only to mate or raise cubs.
What does the brown bear eat?
It is an omnivore: contrary to popular belief, 90% of its diet comes from plants. It also eats animals. Its paws, up to 21 cm wide and 36 cm long, and its big shoulder muscles, which form a hump unique among bears, let it dig through the ground. It puts on a lot of weight in late autumn to prepare for hibernation, and weighs the least in spring.
Is the brown bear endangered?
No: the IUCN lists it as Least Concern. It lives 25 years on average in the wild. Its size depends greatly on its population: the smallest females weigh about as much as males of the smallest living bear, and the largest coastal bears reach nearly the size of the polar bear.
