What Is The Difference Between Kodiak Bears And Grizzly Bears？

What is the difference between Kodiak Bears and Grizzly Bears? Brown bears are the most widely distributed bear species on the planet today, and they are rightly recognized as icons throughout much of this vast range. But did you know that not all brown bears are the same? That's right, there are quite a few differences between the different brown bear subspecies we have today. In today's video, we are focusing on North America's most famous brown bears, the Kodiak and the Grizzly, and the differences between them. Let's go! Grizzly Bear The grizzly bear, or Ursus arctus horribilis, is the most common brown bear in North America. Also known as the North American brown bear, this animal creates a bunch of confusion around what is and isn't a true grizzly. For starters, many North Americans often refer to any brown bear in or outside the continent as grizzlies. It also doesn't help that animals like Ursus arctus gaius and the extinct Ursus arctus californicus and Ursus arctus nelsoni are also known as the Peninsular grizzly, California grizzly, and Mexican grizzly respectively. Even the other subject of today's video, the Kodiak bear, is sometimes referred to as the Kodiak grizzly. However, for the purposes of this video, grizzly refers to the mainland grizzly bear, horribilis. There are two main theories for where the term grizzly came from. One is that it refers to the grizzled mishmash of brown, black, and grayish hairs that make up the animal's coat. Another theory is that the bear is named for its grizzly nature of ripping animals and humans to bloody shreds. The modern spelling favors the first theory, but taxonomists still made sure to name it horribilis to underline that it is a horribly dangerous creature. Traditionally, grizzly bears were ubiquitous throughout North America's northern, central, western, and southern regions. Today, they are mostly found in central and western Canada and the northwestern parts of the United States. Grizzly bears are further split into coastal grizzlies and inland grizzlies, which is of course based on geographic location. However, there are some considerable differences between the two groups, especially when it comes to size. Coastal grizzlies are a bit larger than their inland cousins, and the general belief is that it's because coastal bears have greater access to seafood like oceanic salmon. All in all though, grizzlies are very variable in size. Males are significantly larger than females within similar regions. Time of the year also has a great influence on size too. Bears emerging from winter hibernation are quite shrunken compared to how they look after bulking up in spring, summer, and autumn. Therefore, grizzly bear body weight can range from 209 pounds to 858 pounds. Body length is usually between 78 and 94 inches. Shoulder height averages about 40 inches, and bipedal standing height is up to 9 feet. Looking at these ranges, one can figure that bulked up coastal males occupy the higher end of the size spectrum, while post-hibernation inland females are at the lower end. Grizzly cubs weigh about 16 ounces at birth, but can reach 100 pounds by the time they are a year old. Like all other brown bears, grizzlies are descended from the Eurasian brown bears that first diverged from prehistoric cave bears around 1.4 to 1.2 million years ago. Then, thanks to the Bering Land Bridge, some of these brown bears made their way to North America and diverged into North American subspecies like grizzlies. These migrations are believed to have taken place between 177,000 and 111,000 years ago. They have lived alongside and outlived an unimaginable number of impressive animals during their stay in North America. American lions, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, and giant short-faced bears are just some of the fearsome beasts the grizzlies shared ecosystems with, often with bloody consequences. Today, they reign as the largest carnivore and animals in much of their range, though polar bears, themselves close relatives of all brown bears, reign supreme in the polar cousins, though grizzlies are better classified as omnivores since they are far less reliant on meat. They have a far less specialized menu, which includes berries, grasses, bark, roots, veggies, and many kinds of fruit. Of course, they will hardly pass up an opportunity for meat. These bears go after insects, rodents, birds, eggs, reptiles, fish, and mammals of all shapes and sizes, including other bears. Males are the biggest threat to cubs that aren't their own, a common theme among bears as a whole. Breeding is a highly competitive affair, with males engaging in brutal fights to secure territories with the best access to females. Claws, teeth, and weight are all used to assert dominance, and these clashes sometimes end in death. Mating occurs in summer, but embryo implantation is delayed until the female takes in enough nutrition and finds a secure den ahead of winter hibernation. Gestation periods for grizzlies range from 180 to 250 days, depending on several factors, and cubs are always born when the female is hibernating. Though largely solitary, female bears stay with their cubs for about two years before letting them go off alone. However, due to factors like limited resources or low bear population, females may not mate again for up to three years after their cubs leave for good. The grizzly bear is a legendary species throughout its home range. In addition to being the most feared creature in the great American wilderness, it is also a symbol of strength, freedom, cunning, and tenacity. It also played a significant role in countless native cultures and cultural practices. Kodiak Bears The Kodiak bear is both a victim and perpetuator of the confusion surrounding what is a grizzly bear or isn't. By virtue of being native to North America, Kodiak bears are often referred to as grizzlies as well. However, this brown bear subspecies is considered to be a totally separate animal from the horobilis grizzly. Instead, the Kodiak bear is known as Ursus arctus middendorfi to taxonomists. That said, the best way to tell a Kodiak bear from a grizzly bear is to know where you are. If you are in the mainland US or Canada, there is an extremely high chance that any wild brown bear you encounter is a grizzly and not a Kodiak. That's because wild Kodiak bears are exclusively found on Alaska's Kodiak Island Archipelago and not on the mainland. They have been isolated on these islands since at least 10,000 years ago, around the end of the last ice age. However, much like other North American brown bears, Kodiaks are descended from Eurasian bears that trekked across the prehistoric land bridge and diverged into the bears we know today. That means Kodiaks are still very closely related to grizzlies, and they share common ancestry with polar bears. And speaking of polar bears, Kodiaks are the only other bears that can come close to matching them in size. Females are smaller than males but still range from 399 to 701 pounds, while males are between 600 to 1,400 pounds. Some especially large males can reach or exceed 1,500 pounds during the pre-hibernation bulk. The tallest Kodiaks also reach heights of 9.8 feet on their hind legs, which is a bit taller than grizzlies. In some cases, Kodiaks can be more than twice the size of their mainland kin. The largest ever Kodiak bear was a few meals short of weighing a whole metric ton. Ultimately, the Kodiak is the second largest bear walking the earth today and the largest brown bear subspecies overall. Part of the reason why these bears are so huge is a phenomenon called island gigantism. Basically, the bear's island isolation separates them from factors that limit the growth of mainland bears. Things like predation by other animals, disease, habitat loss, and overhunting by humans are less prevalent on the Kodiak islands, and this has allowed the bears to thrive and grow to tremendous sizes. Conservation data backs this up too, as the Kodiak bear is one of the very few brown bear subspecies with population numbers that have been increasing steadily over the past two decades. Another reason why Kodiak bears are so large may be linked to the reason why coastal grizzlies are bigger than inland grizzlies. As island bears, all Kodiak bears are pretty much coastal bears too, and they benefit tremendously from the perks of being close to the sea. Salmon, beached whales, cephalopods, and an assortment of crabs and shellfish are fat and protein-rich food sources that go a long way to fueling tremendous growth. Despite their remarkable sizes, Kodiak bears retain many of the same behavioral traits found in brown bears as a whole. They are confident, intelligent, ferocious, and opportunistic animals who know what it takes to survive. Though largely solitary, Kodiaks have a far more tolerant disposition than mainland brown bears. The relative confinement of the Kodiak islands and the relative abundance of food make constant violence a lose-lose scenario for many individuals. Therefore, truces are often called for the sake of peacefully stocking up ahead of the true enemy, winter. You can find dozens of bears foraging in very close proximity, with only a bit of grumbling and posturing when testy individuals cross paths. It seems that Kodiak bears have developed rudimentary communication skills, cues, and gestures to at least coexist when foraging is good. However, peace is not always on the cards. Males are the biggest perpetrators of violence, both to each other and to the offspring of other males. In fact, the Kodiak bear's main natural predator is other, bigger Kodiaks. Females with cubs are still the main threat to humans, though. Mama bears will charge at people without a second's hesitation if they feel a threat to their offspring. Like grizzly bears, Kodiaks are icons of their homeland. They are respected and acknowledged by both modern and traditional native cultures for their incredible sizes, power, and intelligence. Some Native American tribes regard these bears as important figures in spirituality and the spiritual realms.