{"id":2191139,"date":"2026-05-21T06:00:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T05:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/?p=2191139"},"modified":"2026-05-16T09:19:44","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T08:19:44","slug":"it-weighs-as-much-as-a-car-can-sprint-at-30mph-has-dinner-plate-paws-armed-with-3in-claws-and-jaws-powerful-enough-to-crush-a-human-skull-like-an-egg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/it-weighs-as-much-as-a-car-can-sprint-at-30mph-has-dinner-plate-paws-armed-with-3in-claws-and-jaws-powerful-enough-to-crush-a-human-skull-like-an-egg\/","title":{"rendered":"It weighs as much as a car, can sprint at 30mph, has dinner-plate paws armed with 3in claws \u2013 and jaws powerful enough to crush a human skull like an egg"},"content":{"rendered":"

Grizzly bears hunting during the annual\u00a0salmon run\u00a0in North America has to be one of nature\u2019s greatest spectacles. But there is much more to this species \u2013 the grizzly bear is both a skilled hunter and a resourceful forager, a coastal creature and forest dweller.<\/p>\n

Find out more in our expert grizzly bear guide, including where to see in the wild, their diet and how they hunt and conservation efforts.<\/p>\n

Are grizzly bears the same as brown bears?<\/h2>\n

Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos\u00a0<\/em>horribilis<\/em>) are a subspecies of brown bear (Ursus arctos<\/em>) found only in North America. People often refer to those animals that live inland as grizzly bears and those that live along the coast as brown bears; however, the name \u2018grizzly\u2019 can encompass both.<\/p>\n

Where can you find grizzly bears?<\/h2>\n

Grizzly bears are able to live in a great range of habitats across North America \u2013 in fact, they occupy a wider diversity of habitats than any other species of bear, from woodlands and forests to alpine meadows and prairies. The bears prefer access to coastal areas, rivers and streams.<\/p>\n

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\"Bear
Bear reflected in the waters of the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia, Canada\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n

If you want to see a grizzly bear, one of the best places to head to is the wilds of Canada, which alone has an estimated 25,000 grizzlies \u2013 over half of which live in British Columbia.\u00a0The Great Bear Rainforest,\u00a0Khutzeymateen Grizzly Sanctuary\u00a0and\u00a0Knight Inlet\u00a0all offer fantastic bear viewing.<\/p>\n

Alaska is also a stronghold, and you can still find small populations within the north-west of the USA, including Washington State, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Conservation efforts have seen grizzlies recovering in\u00a0Yellowstone National Park, which has over 500 individuals.<\/p>\n

When is the best time to see grizzly bears?<\/h2>\n

Come to North America\u00a0in summer and autumn, and you can witness the most exciting time of year in the grizzlies\u2019 calendar \u2013 the famous salmon run! Each year, the salmon battle their way up the river systems to their native spawning grounds, sparking a feasting frenzy for hungry bears.<\/p>\n

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