Alaska is bear country and one of the few places in the world where all three species of North American bears live. You may have a chance to see a bear in Alaska. Brown bears, also called grizzly bears, are found nearly everywhere in Alaska. Polar bears frequent the sea ice and tundra of extreme northern and western Alaska. Bears are curious, intelligent and tend to avoid or ignore people, but can be dangerous.
Many bears live in Alaska and many people enjoy the outdoors, but surprisingly few people see bears and only a few of those are ever threatened by a bear. Respecting bears and learning proper behavior can help you avoid conflict—and help you know how to react if you do see a bear.
It's best to understand what bears need and avoid bears whenever possible. You can do this by keeping a clean camp and home, and by following bear safety advice when recreating or working in bear country.
If you do encounter a bear at close distance, remain calm. Talk to the bear in a normal tone of voice and wave your arms so they can identify you as human. Do not run — back away slowly. Avoid eye contact. For more information on what to do if you encounter an aggressive bear click here. Toggle navigation. Puffin Inn Blog.
Brown Bears Brown bears live in every part of Alaska except certain islands. Polar Bears Polar Bears live in the pack ice and tundra of extreme northern and western Alaska. Color is not a reliable key in differentiating these bears because black and brown bears have many color phases and polar bears may have stained fur. For example, black bear fur may be black, brown, reddish or even shades of grey and white, while brown bear colors range from dark brown through very light blond.
Brown bears are very adaptable and like humans, they consume a wide variety of foods. Common foods include salmon, berries, grasses, sedges, cow parsnip, ground squirrels, carrion, and roots. In many parts of Alaska, brown bears are capable predators of moose and caribou, especially newborns.
Bears may also be attracted to human camps and homes by improperly stored food and garbage as well as domestic animals. Although generally solitary in nature, brown bears often occur in large groups in concentrated feeding areas such as salmon spawning streams, sedge flats, open garbage dumps or on whale carcasses. Because of this, they have developed a complex language and social structure to express their feelings and minimize serious fights These feeding concentration areas also provide opportunities for people to watch bears.
Cubs are born in the den during January and February. Twins are most common, but litter sizes can range from 1 to 4. When the cubs emerge in June, they may weigh up to 15 lbs 7 kg and they actively explore their world under the constant supervision of their mothers. Mothers can be furiously protective of cubs, however less than half of the cubs survive.
Families typically stay together for 2 or 3 years and after separation female cubs tend to stay near where they were raised while males go farther afield. Most brown bears are sexually mature at 5 years old; however females often do not successfully produce a litter until later. The mating season is in the spring May to July and they are serial monogamous have one mate at a time, but several each year.
The oldest brown bear in Alaska was a 39 year old female, while the oldest male was Due to their remote habitat, Polar bear are not frequently seen by visitors to Alaska. Stories from Alaska An insider's journey through Alaska's best kept secrets.
Posted on February 7, in Wildlife in Alaska. Polar Bears Polar bears and brown bears actually evolved from a common ancestor and are still closely related. Ask us about planning a trip to experience them all first-hand! Share Pin
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