General Information: Brown bears (Ursus arctos) are large bears distributed across much of northern North America, northern and western Eurasia, and mountains of central Asia. Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos horribilis), a subspecies of Brown Bear, are restricted to western North America. These bears are very large, have a broad face, and have a hump on the back between the shoulders.

Taxonomy: Order: Carnivora; Family: Ursidae.

Technical Description: Head and body to 7-ft long, height 3-1/2 ft at the shoulder, weight to 850 pounds. Color ranges from yellow to black. Long hairs often light at the tips, giving a grizzled appearance. Face quite broad. Claws on front feet to 4-inches long.

Breeding: Breeds during summer, young born mid-winter

Diet: Eats vegetation, bugs, mice, fish, deer, and anything else it can find or catch.

Range: Brown Bear are circumpolar in the northern hemisphere, and also occur in the Himalayas and other high mountains in central Asia, and the mountains of southwest Asia. Grizzly Bear are restricted to western North America.