You’re likely to spot a grizzly bear or two when visiting Denali National Park, as there are an estimated several hundred of them residing there.
Grizzly bears and Alaskan Brown Bears (“Kodiak” bears) are genetically identical, although their environment has resulted in significant differences. Grizzly bears live inland, away from the salmon runs of the coast, and mostly have a vegetarian diet so they generally don’t get much larger than 300-400 pounds (still an impressive weight for an animal). Their fur has the features that you see in these photos. Brown hair with white ends that results in their “grizzled” appearance.
Alaskan brown bears generally are brown (with some a lighter color), but they live largely off coastal salmon, especially to build up their winter fat reserves. They are much larger, often more than 1000 pounds (some males larger than 1500 pounds). Their fur doesn’t have this “grizzled” appearance.
Both types of bear have the characteristic “hump” on their backs and distinctive long claws.
The video below shows a (different) grizzly bear in Denali getting ready for hibernation — eating berries and plants constantly as it walks (hyperphagia).
