Black and grizzly bears, what is the difference?
Fresh grizzly paw print. Comparison to a man's hand gives a good indication of the size of the animal which left this pad mark. Photo credit: Peter Thomas
A good size comparison of black and grizzly bear paw prints.
All bears are potentially dangerous but the dangers differ and it is important to be able to distinguish between black bears and grizzlies.
The grizzly gets its name from the long, yellow-tipped hairs of its coat. It has a concave or dish-shaped face and a large hump over the shoulders. These muscular shoulders, along with straight claws between 6 and 8 cm long equip it well for digging. The colour of coat may range from dark brown to almost blonde. An average male weighs about 200 kg while the female weighs about half of that. The largest grizzlies are found on the Pacific coast where a male can weigh up to 500 kg.
A cinnamon coloured black bear standing on its hind legs. Note body configurations such as straight shoulders and pointed face, which distinguishes it from a grizzly bear. Photo credit: Parks Canada
The black bear can be black, brown, cinnamon or blonde in colour so that if colour only is taken into account it could be mistaken for a grizzly although it has a much straighter face than the grizzly. The black bear is generally smaller than the grizzly, with an average weight of 110 kg for males and 75 kg for females. It has shorter curved claws suitable for tree climbing. The Kermodei is a white race of the black bear and is unique to British Columbia. The wilderness enthusiast should learn the difference between the two bear species including recognition of the paw prints.
