Brown Bears
Brown or Grizzly Bear? The island belongs to Ursus arctos. The same bear, found around the Northern hemisphere is called brown bear or grizzly depending on where they live - whether near the sea or inland, in Europe, Asia or North America. This essenteally is the same bear explorers Lewis and Clark encountered in great numbers just west of the Mississippi River. It is the same bear that ranged throughout the West and into Mexico, and which has not been seen in California since the 1920s (except on their state flag). Today it survives outside of Alaska only in isolated pockets in four states of Northwest U.S. and in parts of Canada. Everything about the bear is big - Admiralty's brown bear, as elsewhere, has the species' large head, characteristic shoulder hump and long claws. On either side of the head are large muscles that power the jaws. The bulging shoulder hump is the muscle that gives such enormous strength to the front legs. The digestive system enables feeding on both plants and animals.
Bears find food and avoid danger because their hearing and sense of smell are superb, and their eyesight is at least as good as humans.
A bear standing on its hind legs is most likely curious, rather than angry. It usually is trying to get a better look or smell of something; perhaps another bear, food or a human.
Photo by John Hyde.
Admiralty bears seem to prefer chum salmon to leaner pink salmon. Some bears will chase salmon and grab them with their mouth or pin them with their claws. Others may dive for salmon in pools. Still others, mostly young bears will scavenge for fish carcasses.
Photo by John Hyde.
This rock cave den was discovered at about 3,800 feet on Eagle Peak, the highest mountain on Admiralty island. Used by a radio-collared female brown bear, the den was on a steep slope facing over a beautiful subalpine valley. Many of these cave dens have likely been used by different bears for centuries.
Photo by John Schoen.
A cub clings to a rock while its mother surveys the fishing hole. Recent hair sample analysis results suggest that mothers with new cubs may eat less salmon than females with older cubs or no cubs at all.
Photo by John Neary.
While the bear's thick coat has a tremendous ability to retain body heat, it is not uncommon for a bear to gather up stick and brush to line a day bed.
Photo by Joel Bennett.
Admiralty's estuary tidal flats are important spring foraging sites as bear feed on sedges and late summer salmon. These rich feeding sites can be easily disturbed by human development and activity.
Photo by John Hyde.