Kodiak Bear

Kodiak Bear Facts

Description

The size of the Kodiak Bear has given it a reputation in the wild a being a force to reckon with. Seeing one unexpectedly in the wild definitely isn’t something most people are prepared for. The males can grow to be about 10 feet tall and weigh from 1,000 to 1,400 pounds. The females are smaller than that but still a very large size overall. They can be about 7 feet tall and weight from 600 to 800 pounds.

This particular bear is brown in color. However, it can have any color of brown so some of them are very light colored and others are very dark colored. The overall coloring on the face is going to be lighter than what is found on the rest of the body. This is the distinct way to tell them apart from the Grizzly Bear.

Anatomy

The enormous head of the Kodiak Bear is worth taking a close look at. They also have powerful teeth and jaws that can tear through prey very quickly. They have bulky bodies so that they can store up fat. They will eat all they can in the summer so that they can live on the fat reserves while hibernating in the wintertime.

The claws of a Kodiak Bear are very sharp and can be about four inches long. They are retractable as well. They don’t have very good eyesight but they more then make up for it with their great sense of hearing and smell.

Evolution

The Kodiak Bear is a subspecies of the Brown Bear. They branched off millions of years ago due to the areas where they lived. These particular bears were able to become much larger in size due to the fact that they don’t have any natural predators in the area. The vast food supply offered allowed them to thrive. Due to the colder weather where they live though hibernation became a necessary part of their survival skills.

Behavior

It is common for bears to sleep during the day and then to be active at night. Yet the Kodiak Bear is one that is very active during the daylight hours. Sometimes they will also be moving around at night but not often. They are very solitary in nature as well as intolerant of intruders to their area. The males are the most aggressive and with fight others that come into their territory.

The females have a smaller range that they travel and it can often overlap that of males. Generally these types of relationships are fine and the males will ignore these females. There is only a problem when the supply of food available is low. Then the males will want to keep their territories all to themselves as well as the food that is found within it.

Many people are confused when they read that Kodiak Bears live alone as they have seen them in the wild in groups or in photos. What is very interesting is that they will tolerate each other when they have to. For example when there is ample food in one given location but not in others. They are intelligent enough to learn to get the food they need by working together than to starve. This is a very interesting concept that researchers are still looking into further.

Habitat/Distribution

The name for the Kodiak Bear comes from the fact that they live around Kodiak Island. There are numerous places around Alaska where they are found as well. It is believed this particular region where they live is the main reason why they are prone to more problems with disease and parasites than any other species of bear.

The Kodiak Wildlife Refuge has become the primary location for these bears to reside. In this environment humans can come to observe the bears but not harm them. This is a great place to get to experience these amazing bears in the wild with your own eyes.

Diet/Feeding Habits

The diet of this particular bear consists mostly of fish. Therefore they will be found in the areas around the waters on a regular basis. They also feed on berries and various types of fruit. Nuts will be consumed if they find them as well. Grass is a last resort of food when other sources aren’t readily available. Sometimes they will kill other animals as well in order to get enough food.

The Kodiak Bears are able to identify where they should be at a given time of the year for feeding. They are able to determine what is in season so they will feed in that given area and then move on to another. This allows them to take advantage of the various foods sources which may only be available to them during a limited period of time.

Reproduction

For the Kodiak Bears mating season is in May and June. This is the time of year when food is the most plentiful. Unlike most other species of bears, the males will only find one female to mate with. As a result there is less competition among the males for mating rights. Once the courting has been completed the pair may stay together for a couple of weeks.

Delayed fertilization is part of the process for the Kodiak Bears. This means that even though the females have successfully conceived, they will prevent the embryo from attaching to the uterus right away. By doing so, the birth of the cubs will occur while she is still in her den hibernating during the cold winter months. The young will arrive in either January or February of the following year.

Kodiak Bears can have up to six cubs at once which is much more than any other species. It is rare for all of these cubs to survive though and to emerge with her from the den. She may have to decide not to feed the weakest ones in order to offer proper nutrition for the rest of them. Instinctively, survival of the fittest will occur even in these very early stages of life.

The mortality rate of these cubs is also higher than with any other species of bears. Those that do survive can stay with their mothers for about 4 or 5 years. Then they will part ways and be on their own for survival. It is at that point in time that she will consider mating again. The slow rate of reproduction among them combined with the mortality rate makes it hard to increase the population. Only about 3,500 of them remain in the wild today.

Predators

The biggest threat to them are the adult males once they emerge from the den with their mother. They want to be able to mate again with the females early on. When she has cubs to care for she will only mate every 4 or 5 years. The females may fight fiercely to protect the cubs but often they are no match for the size and strength of the males.

Humans seem to find hunting for the Kodiak Bear to be a huge thrill. The size of these bears as well as the risks involved with killing them is enough to spark high dollar hunting expeditions.