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Bear Size ~
Bear Size ~
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Bear Size ~
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http://www.bearbiology.com/fileadmin/tpl/Downloads/URSUS/Vol_7/Blanchard_Vol_7.pdf
In this study on the size of Yellowstone grizzlies, the heaviest female weighed 194 kg ( 428 pounds ) and the heaviest male 325 kg ( 716.5 pounds ). Both bears were weighed in August ( Summer weights ).
I was just remembering an article I had read some years ago in Sports Afield, Outdoor Life, or some other similar magazine. It was written by a park ranger. He had drawn a picture of a black bear on a sheet of plywood, cut it out with a jigsaw, and painted it. The article had pictures; he was a good artist. He carefully placed this wooden bear near a road in the foothills of North Carolina, leading towards the Smokey Mountains. The bear was standing in green grass with lots of foliage behind him. From the road, from a passing car, he did not appear so one-dimensional.
Just up the road from the wooden bear was a gas station/country store. The ranger spend several hours there; the lady behind the cash register was in on the plan. Nearly every customer who had come from that direction mentioned seeing the bear. The lady would ask about the size of the bear. Every single person estimated anywhere from 500 to 1,000 pounds. According to the ranger who created the bear-of-wood said that a black bear of those proportions would weigh roughly 250 pounds. I found this story to be very interesting. Anytime someone, even a hunter, estimates the weight of a bear, I take it with a grain of salt. Only someone who works closely with bears and has some experience in weighing bears can give a close-to-accurate weight estimation of a bear just by looking at it.
I have been thinking and rethinking the record polar bear - post #195 - the 2,210 pounds ( 1,002 kg ) monster bear. The weight is unconfirmed because the right people were not present to observe the bear being weighed. Someone had mentioned, that when a big animal's weight is estimated, the number is always rounded off to the nearest 50 pounds or 100 pounds; a neat round figure. It is unlikely that the extra 10 pounds would have been tacked onto the weight if it had been estimated. Therefore, regardless of the fact that this record polar bear remains unconfirmed; I will choose to be a believer.
 *This image is copyright of its original author
http://www.theinfolist.com/php/SummaryGet.php?FindGo=Kodiak%20bear
The KODIAK BEAR ( Ursus arctos middendorffi ), also known as the KODIAK BROWN BEAR, inhabits the islands of the Kodiak Archipelago in southwest Alaska . Its Alutiiq name is taquka-aq . It is the largest recognized subspecies of brown bear , and one of the two largest bears alive today, the other being the polar bear . Physiologically, the Kodiak bear is very similar to the other brown bear subspecies , such as the mainland grizzly bear ( Ursus arctos horribilis ) and the now-extinct California grizzly bear ( U. a. californicus † ), with the main difference being in size. While there is generally much variation in size between brown bears in different areas, most usually weigh between 115 and 360 kg (254 and 794 lb). The Kodiak bear, on the other hand, commonly reaches sizes of 300 to 600 kg (660 to 1,320 lb), and has even been known to exceed weights of 680 kg (1,500 lb) on occasion. Despite this large variation in size, the diet and lifestyle of the Kodiak bear does not differ greatly from that of other brown bears. Ever since the first humans arrived in Alaska over the Bering land bridge , encounters between people and Kodiak bears have occurred. Today, these encounters have become relatively more common as a result of the increase in the human population in the region. Such encounters have included the hunting of bears by humans for their fur or meat, and, less commonly, attacks by bears upon humans. More recently, as conservation efforts have become more commonplace, concerns over the sustenance and stability of the Kodiak bear population have arisen. The IUCN classifies Ursus arctos , the species to which the Kodiak belongs, as being of "least concern" in terms of endangerment or extinction . However, the IUCN does not differentiate between subspecies; therefore, it is unknown whether the Kodiak bear population is as healthy as is stated. As a result, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game , along with, to a lesser extent, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service , closely monitors the number of bears hunted in the state. DESCRIPTION TAXONOMY Taxonomist C.H. Merriam was first to recognize the Kodiak bear as a unique subspecies of the brown bear , and he named it " Ursus middendorffi " in honor of the celebrated Baltic naturalist, Dr. A. Th. von Middendorff . Subsequent taxonomic work merged all North American brown bears into a single species ( Ursus arctos ). Genetic samples from bears on Kodiak have shown that they are related to brown bears on the Alaska Peninsula and Kamchatka , Russia , and all brown bears roughly north of the US. Kodiak bears have been genetically isolated since at least the last ice age (10,000 to 12,000 years ago) and very little genetic diversity exists within the population. Although the current population is healthy and productive, and has shown no overt adverse signs of inbreeding , it may be more susceptible to new diseases or parasites than other, more diverse brown bear populations. COLOR Hair colors range from blonde to orange (typically females or bears from southern parts of the archipelago) to dark brown. Cubs often retain a white "natal ring" around their neck for the first few years of life. The Kodiak bears' color is similar to that of their very close relative, the grizzly bear . SIZE Adult The size range for females (sows) is from 181 to 318 kg (399 to 701 lb) and for males (boars) is 272 to 635 kg (600 to 1,400 lb). Mature males average 477–534 kg (1,052–1,177 lb) over the course of the year, and can weigh up to 680 kg (1,500 lb) at peak times. Females are typically about 20% smaller and 30% lighter than males and adult sizes are attained when bears are 6 years old. Bears weigh the least when they emerge from their dens in the spring, and can increase their weight by 20–30% during late summer and fall. Bears in captivity can sometimes attain weights considerably greater than those of wild bears. An average adult male measures 244 cm (8 ft 0 in) in length and stands 133 cm (4 ft 4 in) tall at the shoulder. The largest recorded wild male weighed 751 kg (1,656 lb) and had a hind foot measurement of 46 cm (18 in). A large male Kodiak bear stands up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) tall at the shoulder when it is standing on all four legs. When standing fully upright on its hind legs, a large male could reach a height of 3 m (9.8 ft). The largest verified size for a captive Kodiak bear was for a specimen that lived at the Dakota Zoo in Bismarck, North Dakota. Nicknamed "Clyde", he weighed 966 kg (2,130 lb) when he died in June 1987 at the age of 22. According to zoo director Terry Lincoln, Clyde probably weighed close to 1,090 kg (2,400 lb) a year earlier. He still had a fat layer of 9 inches when he died. Kodiak bears are the largest brown bear, comparable in size to polar bears . This makes Kodiak bears and polar bears both the two largest members of the bear family and Kodiak bears the largest extant terrestrial carnivorans. The standard method of evaluating the size of bears is by measuring their skulls . Most North American hunting organizations and management agencies use calipers to measure the length of the skull (back of sagittal crest on the back of the skull to the front tooth) and the width (maximum width between the zygomatic arches — "cheek bones"). The total skull size is the sum of these two measurements. The largest bear ever killed in North America was from Kodiak Island with a total skull size of 78.1 cm (30.7 in), and eight of the top 10 brown bears listed in the Boone and Crockett record book are from Kodiak. The average skull size of Kodiak bears that were killed by hunters in the first five years of the 21st century was 63.8 cm (25.1 in) for boars and 55.4 cm (21.8 in) for sows.
From "Brown Bears ( Info, Pics and Videos ) page #20, post #286: Average Body Mass: adult male = 413 lb (187 kg); adult female = 269 lb (122 kg)
Heaviest Known Weight in GYE: adult male = 715 lb (324 kg); adult female = 436 lb (198 kg). This places the Yellowstone grizzly in pretty much the same weight range as the Siberian tiger. I will add however, as I often have, that I have a beef about the age range of bears included as adults in these surveys. If all male grizzlies below the age of ten years were excluded, the average weight would be some closer to 500 lb ( 227 kg ).
About those outlaw grizzlies, the cattle and sheep killers of the American West.
Notorious Grizzly Bears by W.P. Hubbard - 1960 - Pelage and Character - Weight. A safe estimate of the average weight of adult grizzlies in our western states would be about eight hundred and fifty pounds. This conclusion results from a careful check on grizzlies killed and weighed by numerous hunters, trappers, and old-time bear men. Nevertheless, there are exceptions. Several outlaw grizzlies investigated were known to have weighed over one thousand pounds. ( These outlaw grizzlies were hunted and killed before the Boone and Crockett Club established the idea of preserving bear skulls ).  (07-22-2016, 07:24 AM)Polar Wrote: In fact, during my 2013 travel, one bear dubbed "PBI-1665" weighed exactly 1665-pounds, but I don't know exactly how they measured it. It had been in the process of following two females (and this was in late May; breeding season), and the lead PBI crew happened to locate the large male and install a mini tracker device on one of its forearms as well as weigh it. @Polar Great to see that you have experience with Wild Polar Bears (11-09-2016, 11:39 PM)brotherbear Wrote: http://www.wideopenspaces.com/gallery-hu...ears-pics/ Huge incredible Kodiak Bears  (07-25-2017, 10:22 PM)epaiva Wrote:(07-22-2016, 07:24 AM)Polar Wrote: In fact, during my 2013 travel, one bear dubbed "PBI-1665" weighed exactly 1665-pounds, but I don't know exactly how they measured it. It had been in the process of following two females (and this was in late May; breeding season), and the lead PBI crew happened to locate the large male and install a mini tracker device on one of its forearms as well as weigh it. Thank you very much! I was grateful to have had the opportunity to actually see the conditions and sizes of polar bears up in my 2013 trip. It was similar to seeing the differences of individual lions down in my trip to South Africa (but without the actual touching/measurements). Bears look very big up close, even the low-weight ones. Much like big cats and other animals. (07-25-2017, 10:32 PM)epaiva Wrote:(11-09-2016, 11:39 PM)brotherbear Wrote: http://www.wideopenspaces.com/gallery-hu...ears-pics/ It should be stated that some of these pictures have a false sense of depth perception, some of the bears are actually smaller in size than what they appear in the photos. Same with many pictures of hunters and other animals.
Record-sized black bear killed in vehicle crash
NATCHEZ — Authorities say a record-size Louisiana black bear was killed when it was hit by a sport utility vehicle in southwestern Mississippi. The full-grown male bear was struck April 5 on U.S. 61 in Wilkinson County. No other serious injuries were reported. Officials say the bear weighed 468 pounds, making it the largest recorded in Mississippi. "It was about 11:45 p.m. and the bear crossed the road and she T-boned it," Richard Rummel said. "It was 468 pounds — the biggest one we've ever had our hands on. "We captured one in the South Delta and at the initial capture he was 432 (pounds). At the last capture he was 439. We caught another one that weighed 411. So, this was by far the biggest one we've ever had our hands on." Rummel, the Black Bear Program leader for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, said black bears can grow much larger. He pointed to examples of black bears in North Carolina that have weighed in excess of 800 pounds. But in Mississippi, they aren't as large. "That's pretty big for Mississippi," Rummel said. "I'm not saying there's not another one out there that's bigger, but I'd be surprised." Rummel said the bear is being stored in a freezer at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson. The department is evaluating preservation of the bear, but it will eventually be used for education purposes. Rummel said the bear was in excellent condition, so a full-mount of it might be possible. He also said the skull and bones will be preserved for educational purposes. "It was a big, old beautiful bear," Rummel said. "It has a beautiful, jet-black coat."
Looking at the skull of a Pleistocene grizzly at: pinterest...
15 and 3/4 inches long. 9 inches wide. 9 inches high. Record grizzly from Boone and Crockett... 17 and 6/16 inches long. 10 and 9/16 inches wide. ( from Boone and crockett - longest and widest two different bears ).  (01-03-2018, 12:42 PM)brotherbear Wrote: Looking at the skull of a Pleistocene grizzly at: pinterest... Do you have the pics of these skulls?
About post #283: I found out this morning that I made a mistake. I was looking up "Pleistocene grizzly skulls" wanting to get a good look at the shape of them. I just took it for granted that I was looking at what I had looked up. Last night, for some reason, the thought occurred to me that I might have been looking at simply a modern-day grizzly. This morning, I found out for sure. - sadly - It's just a grizzly skull. Sorry for the mistake.
- https://www.bearbiology.com/wp-content/u..._Vol_4.pdf
For purposes of comparison, skull dimensions were considered ultimate by 15 years of age and body measurements were considered ultimate by 10 years of age. *As I have been arguing for years. Biologists/park rangers measure and weigh grizzlies and put forth size averages which include bears as young as five years old which, though sexually mature, are sub-adult animals. That is why I view size averages given as false information. For the average-sized grizzly boar of any location, only bears 10+ years old should be included. Explanation: Until the maturation of their reproductive capabilities, the pre-pubertal physical differences between boys and girls are the external sex organs. On average, girls begin puberty around ages 10–11 and end puberty around 15–17; boys begin around ages 11–12 and end around 16–17. *so, should 11 year old boys be included when deciding the average size of men? |
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