Yellowstone Wildlife - Grizzly Bear
Grizzly Bears range throughout Yellowstone but are most often seen in and around the Dunraven Pass area and just past the turn off to Mount Washburn.
Another good area is across the Yellowstone River in Hayden Valley and in the Fishing Bridge area. Also in Lamar Valley.
A good pair of binoculars or a spotting scope is a must.
The grizzly bear is a powerful predator, capable of out sprinting a horse, and weighing as
much as 350-600 pounds. Grizzlies are omnivorous, meaning they eat both meat and
plants. In Yellowstone, grizzlies feed on elk, trout, bison carrion, pinenuts, grasses, roots,
and berries.
Certain characteristics distinguish grizzlies from black bears. The grizzly is larger, both in
girth and weight. The grizzly's coat ranges from tawny cinnamon to light brown or even
black. Some grizzlies are flecked with recognizable "silver tips," creating the "grizzled"
look. A feature also associated with grizzlies is the shoulder hump, and area of well-
defined muscle. Another is his dish-shaped face.
Grizzlies hibernate in dens during the winter. This is when the cubs are born. Emerging
from their dens in the spring with one to three cubs, the mothers are very protective. They
will not hesitate to charge intruders which they perceive as threatening their cubs.
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