Grizzly Adult, "Too Close", Alaska

(Click image to enlarge)

This bear was walking upstream to do some fishing when it stopped and gave me a look. Fortunately when bears visit this stream in autumn their minds are on spawning salmon and I was just a minor curiosity.

Adult male grizzly bears in this part of Alaska usually weigh 600 to 800 pounds while females weigh about 350 to 450 pounds. Grizzly bears are most easily identified by the large hump of muscle above their front shoulders. Grizzlies are known to dig more than any other bear species, and those muscles give them the strength to do it. Their claws, which can be 4 inches in length, also help with digging. Grizzly bears are omnivores and their diet varies greatly with location. In areas where fish and meat are less plentiful, over 75% of their diet can consist of berries, leaves and nuts.