2nd January: Grizzly bears

On this date in 1975, the US Department of Interior designated the grizzly bear a threatened species. Here are some things you might not know about bears.

1. The Grizzly bear is basically what they call the brown bear, Ursus arctos, in North America. Scientists do not use the name grizzly bear but call it the North American brown bear.
2. The name "grizzly" was coined by the famous US explorers, Lewis and Clark. This may have been because the bears had a grizzled appearance, or because they were terrifying - historians are not sure.
3. Bears are omnivores. Meat is a very important part of their diet. They eat fish, such as Salmon, and prey on large mammals, usually injured individuals or young. They will also scavenge and eat carrion. Brown bears in coastal areas have been known to eat beached Whales. They also eat plants, particularly berries.
4. A female grizzly can weigh up to 180 kg (400 lb) and a male 360 kg (790 lb). On average they are 198 cm (6.50 ft) long with a shoulder height of 102 cm (3.35 ft). Standing on hind legs, they can be as much as 3 metres (9.8 ft) tall. Their front claws can be four inches long. Canadian and Alaskan bears are generally bigger because they have a better diet.
5. Brown bears originated in Eurasia and travelled to North America approximately 50,000 years ago.
6. There are only about 1,500 grizzly bears left in mainland United States. Of these, 800 live in Montana. They are a protected species in the USA, Mexico and in parts of Canada and Europe.
7. Bears do not normally prey on humans, even though they could if they wanted to. They avoid people as a rule. in 70% of cases where a human is killed by a grizzly it is by a female defending her cubs. Otherwise it may be because people have taken a bear by surprise, or because it thinks the human is going to take its food. Bear awareness programs have been developed by numerous towns in British Columbia, Canada, to stop bears from becoming a problem. People are told to keep their rubbish securely stowed, harvest fruit as soon as it's ripe and keep livestock behind electric fences, so bears will not venture into inhabited areas looking for food. Bears that become dependent on food left out by humans usually have to be killed.
8. It has been estimated that a bite from a grizzly could crush a bowling ball.
9. Grizzly bears living in colder climates hibernate for 5–7 months each year. Those living where it is warmer and food is plentiful all year round, may not. Bears prepare for hibernation by eating as much as they can, and making a den. Dens are usually at elevations above 1,800m (5,900 ft) and on north-facing slopes. The first substantial snowstorm in winter usually marks the start of hibernation - the Snow makes the den harder for any predators to find. Females give birth to their cubs while hibernating.
10. In the wild, a male grizzly may live about 22 years and females 26 years. Females live longer because the males risk their lives fighting over the females. Captive grizzlies have lived as long as 44 years.