Grizzly bear is a large, powerful bear of western North America. Grizzly bears live primarily in Alaska and western Canada. In addition, small numbers of grizzlies are found in Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming. Biologists classify grizzly bears as a subspecies (subdivision) of brown bears. A hump on the shoulders of brown bears helps distinguish them from other bears.
Adult grizzly bears measure from 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 meters) long. Most adult males weigh from 400 to 600 pounds (180 to 270 kilograms). Most adult females weigh from 250 to 400 pounds (110 to 180 kilograms). Grizzly bears have thick, woolly underfur that ranges in color from light tan to almost black. Grizzlies also have coarse white- or silver-tipped outer hairs, giving them a grizzled (grayish) appearance. Grizzlies are sometimes called silvertips.
Habits.
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Bear
Grizzly bears feed primarily on fish, berries, grasses, leaves, insects, roots, and land animals. During the summer and fall, a grizzly may eat up to 90 pounds (40 kilograms) of food per day.
During the winter, grizzly bears sleep in dens. Some grizzlies den in caves or other natural shelters. Others dig holes in the ground. In the den, the female normally gives birth to one or two cubs. The cubs stay with the mother 11/2 to 31/2 years, learning feeding and survival methods. Grizzlies can fiercely protect themselves, their young, and their food. 
Grizzly bears and people.
Most grizzly bears try to avoid contact with people. Grizzlies seldom damage cabins and campsites or prey on livestock. On very rare occasions, they may attack humans, and some people have been killed by grizzlies.
Through the years, people have destroyed much of the grizzly bear’s natural habitat by clearing land for settlements and other purposes. Many people wish to protect the bears and their habitat, although others think such protection comes at the expense of economic development. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 protects grizzlies outside Alaska. In Alaska, the grizzly bear population is stable. Grizzly bears can live about 20 years in the wild.
See also Bear (Kinds of bears).
