Bear Anatomy

[epaiva]

Brown Bear skeleton in U.S. National Museum of Natural History

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[brotherbear]

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[epaiva]

Bear exhibit including a huge Kodiak Bear in the back in Oaks Museum in PA

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[Smilodon-Rex]

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The size comparison between grizzly, brown bear and giant short-faced bear Reply

[Shadow]

I have wondered sometimes, that how tall Doug Seus is/have been. In this video he is with Bart the Bear and Bart is here at least 13 years old, so full sized. Bart was 290 cm (9 feet 6 inches) tall standing on two legs, but I haven´t seen his shoulder height when on four legs. I guess, that over 1,5 (f feet) meters wouldn´t be a bad guess. When looking this video at 7:46 it would be possible to make quite good estimation if someone would just know how tall Seus is. He seems to be a tall guy over 180 cm (6 feet) but is he maybe closer to 200 cm? Does anyone have any clue?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af3G8aGk62U

I know, that big Kodiak bears can be 5 feet on shoulder when walking normally and Bart is close to biggest ones there are or have been. Reply

[brotherbear]

(10-23-2018, 02:44 PM)Smilodon-Rex Wrote:

*This image is copyright of its original author

The size comparison between grizzly, brown bear and giant short-faced bear

I asked on the Bart the Bear Official Facebook page: 6 feet tall and 190 pounds. Reply

[Shadow]

(10-23-2018, 11:26 PM)brotherbear Wrote:

(10-23-2018, 02:44 PM)Smilodon-Rex Wrote:

*This image is copyright of its original author

The size comparison between grizzly, brown bear and giant short-faced bear

I asked on the Bart the Bear Official Facebook page: 6 feet tall and 190 pounds.

My mistake, sorry I deleted my 2 posts, I thought, that you were mentioning bear size. But nice to know how tall Seus is. Maybe he has been 1-2 inches taller back then, he is now over 70 after all. Reply

[brotherbear]

http://www.allgrizzly.org/front-limbs

Front limbs

Of all the morphologic features that typify bears, the front limbs and associated skeletal infrastructure are the most distinctive. They are also diagnostic of the bear life strategy (see Life strategy). No other terrestrial vertebrate of its size--certainly no other large carnivore--has front limbs that are as flexible, powerfully built, and mounted with such dexterous paws. Nor do any comparable-sized carnivores have such out-sized claws...claws which are clearly "designed" to be powered by the muscular arms and shoulders to either climb trees, extract food from a durable matrix (i.e., dig), or grapple with and subdue large prey such as seals, moose, and elk. What follows is a summary of the evidence produced over the years elaborating on and substantiating the preceding thumbnail sketch. You will have to forgive me for the abundance that follows, but it is reflective of the extent to which I see this aspect of bear morphology as key to understanding the overall bear life strategy--as well as niche.

More info on site. Reply

[brotherbear]

Identifying males and females - https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/speci..._field.pdf Reply

[epaiva]

(11-30-2018, 11:29 PM)brotherbear Wrote: Identifying males and females - https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/speci..._field.pdf

@brotherbear
Thanks a lot for your great contribution with valuable information of the Bear Family Reply

[Panther]

(03-14-2017, 07:59 AM)epaiva Wrote: Information about the Size of Kodiak Brown Bear sent by the number one expert in Kodiak Brown Bears Larry Van Daele, Ph.D a few years ago.

Edouard,

 

Thank you for your interest in Kodiak bears.  Here are the answers to your questions:

 

1 - average weights are very difficult to determine because there is much variability caused by the age and gender of the bear, as well as the time of year.  In the spring, an average adult female would weigh about 200 kg and an average adult male would weigh about 300 kg.  During the summer and fall they will gain 30-50% more weight.  The largest bear on Kodiak, in the fall, probably weighs 700 kg.

 

2 - average body length (tip of nose to the tail) of an adult female is about 2.1 m and an average adult male is about 2.5 m.  The largest males are about 3.2 m.

 

3 - average claw size (front) - 8 cm.  The largest - 14 cm

 

4 - average height at shoulder for an adult female is about 1 m and for a male about 1.3 m.  The largest male is about 1.5 m.

 

These figures are based on my observations, but in many cases they are estimates rather than actual scientifically collected data.  I hope they are satisfactory for your needs.

 

Best wishes,

 

Larry

 

Larry Van Daele, Ph.D.
Kodiak Area Wildlife Biologist
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
211 Mission Road
Kodiak, Alaska 99615   USA

These are estimates, aren't they? 
How about scientific analysis like this?

*This image is copyright of its original author

However, I'm assuming 312kgs average claimed by this weight chart is accurate for adult male brown bears in summer and fall. For more details of this chart ask @Vodmeister. I've got it from him, I think he's active here... Reply

[brotherbear]

312 kilograms is equal to

687.84 pounds (avoirdupois) 
 
The problem I have is what the rangers/biologists mean by adult male. Usually they consider every sexually mature male 4.5 years old or older. However, a brown bear is not full-grown until he is about 9 years old. A 688 pound mature male Kodiak bear is ( IMO ) a small specimen.  Reply

[Shadow]

(12-08-2018, 02:43 PM)brotherbear Wrote: 312 kilograms is equal to

687.84 pounds (avoirdupois) 
 
The problem I have is what the rangers/biologists mean by adult male. Usually they consider every sexually mature male 4.5 years old or older. However, a brown bear is not full-grown until he is about 9 years old. A 688 pound mature male Kodiak bear is ( IMO ) a small specimen. 

If you are talking about that chart in posting of "panther". Then you need to read text included there. It is said, that those figures aren´t reliable and comparisons based on those numbers have to be done cautiously. So no need to give much value to those figures. It would be different thing if that would be a comprehensive research with comparable and well documented methods.

With statistics there is always danger to make wrong conclusions if not using source criticism and reading carefully what is said. Reply

[Panther]

(12-08-2018, 02:43 PM)brotherbear Wrote: 312 kilograms is equal to

687.84 pounds (avoirdupois) 
 
The problem I have is what the rangers/biologists mean by adult male. Usually they consider every sexually mature male 4.5 years old or older. However, a brown bear is not full-grown until he is about 9 years old. A 688 pound mature male Kodiak bear is ( IMO ) a small specimen. 

They didn't said "4.5 years" or something. They said adult males.
And for 6+ year individuals, they we got different value, 300kgs(660lbs).

*This image is copyright of its original author

I think the 312kgs average chart is based on larger individuals than this one. 
Also scientifically Brown bears reach adult size at 6years.

(12-08-2018, 10:09 PM)Shadow Wrote: If you are talking about that chart in posting of "panther". Then you need to read text included there. It is said, that those figures aren´t reliable and comparisons based on those numbers have to be done cautiously. So no need to give much value to those figures. It would be different thing if that would be a comprehensive research with comparable and well documented methods.

With statistics there is always danger to make wrong conclusions if not using source criticism and reading carefully what is said.

Where did you get this "aren't reliable" from? Reply

[brotherbear]

Panther says: 
They didn't said "4.5 years" or something. They said adult males.
And for 6+ year individuals, they we got different value, 300kgs(660lbs). 
 
No, they did not post ages, but a male brown bear 4.5 years old is sexually mature and at this age listed among the adult bears. I'm just saying that to take a average weight for - full-grown - male brown bears - when ages are given - we can then find a much more accurate average. 
In this chart ( for what its worth ) it gives 6 year old Kodiak bears and 9 year old Alaskan peninsula bears, giving the impression that the peninsula brown bears are larger than Kodiaks. Reply