[pct-l] Bear question

[Mike Welch]

Yes.  Actually, here in Alaska (I've lived here now for 28 years having grown up in Southern California) we use the term brown bear and grizzly somewhat interchangeably.  My understanding is that the grizzly is an inland brown bear that is a little smaller as it's diet depends more on berries.  The coastal brown bears (of which the Kodiak is one of the largest) are larger as their diet is more salmon and other fish.  The fur of the brown bear and black bear can come in different colors, so it can be confusing when you see them in the wild.  We tell them apart by looking at their head, snouts and whether they have a large hump on their upper shoulders (created by massive muscle, the grizzly).  This is important as their behaviors are different.  I have come across both here in Alaska while hiking and mountain biking.  I do not fear the black
 bear, but I have great respect for the brown bear.  They are stronger, generally more aggressive and unpredictable and you want to avoid an encounter with one. If you do come across them in the wild, either the black bear or brown bear you must stand your ground and make yourself bigger than life and have eye contact.  You do not want to be overly aggressive, but to let them know you have no fear and that you are not something they want to mess with.  Then you hope they amble off which generally they will.       Mountain Mike


--- On Tue, 1/11/11, jomike at cot.net <jomike at cot.net> wrote:

From: jomike at cot.net <jomike at cot.net>
Subject: [pct-l] Bear question
To: dthibaul07 at gmail.com
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
Date: Tuesday, January 11, 2011, 4:39 PM

A lot of people get confused on this. 
 A brown Bear is
 another name for a
grizzly bear.  A black bear is the kind most of us in the lower 48 are used
to seeing.  What causes the confusion is that a lot of black bears are brown
in color.  So that brown colored bear you are seeing is a black bear -  just
a brown black bear.  This is starting to sound like an Abbot and Costello
routine so I'll end it.

 Day-Late
______________________________________________

Just to confuse things even more, a "brown bear" in Alaska is a Grizzly. But black bears here in the lower 48 are also cinnamon and blonde. Now, try to repeat back...

are we there yet


...going to the mountains is going home.

John Muir
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