There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
--- Peter Broekhuijsen ---

Poll: Who is the largest of the bears?
Polar Bear
Kodiak Bear
[Show Results]
 
 
  • 1 Vote(s) - 4 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
The "King" of the bears - comparison between the Polar bear and the Brown bear

Russian Federation AlexE Offline
Watchlisted Member
***

I think that polar bear are the lagrest bear.
1 user Likes AlexE's post
Reply

BorneanTiger Offline
Contributor
*****

(11-04-2019, 02:49 PM)AlexE Wrote: I think that polar bear are the lagrest bear.

In terms of average weight, the polar bear would be the largest as a species, because most brown bears are smaller, with only the Kodiak brown bear rivalling it, but overall, it's a competition between the polar bear and Kodiak brown bear, hence the poll.
2 users Like BorneanTiger's post
Reply

Australia GreenGrolar Offline
Regular Member
***

Comparison between brown bear and polar bear in captivity:

Unlike the brown bear, polar bears in captivity are rarely overweight or particularly large, possibly as a reaction to the warm conditions of most zoos.

https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/11801217
3 users Like GreenGrolar's post
Reply

United States Stripedlion2 Offline
Member
**

Does anyone have the average and maximum weights of grolar bears? Do they rival the Kodiak or polar bear in size?
1 user Likes Stripedlion2's post
Reply

Finland Shadow Offline
Contributor
*****

(07-26-2020, 06:36 AM)Stripedlion2 Wrote: Does anyone have the average and maximum weights of grolar bears? Do they rival the Kodiak or polar bear in size?

In wild they are hybrids of smaller brown bears than Kodiak bears or Alaskan peninsula bears, so it´s not likely to think, that they could be same as Kodiak bears. Even though polar bears are biggest, difference isn´t that much. Most likely they are somewhere in between of brown bears living inland and polar bears are. So maybe some big ones might be close to Kodiak bears, but hardly same as polar bears.

I haven´t been too interested of grolars and I don´t know how it is in captivity, there they might have hybrids of bigger brown bear subspecies and polar bears, but in wild it should be quite clear, that polar bears meet only smaller brown bears and most likely hybrids are smaller too. I guess, that you think about ligers in this in comparison, but with tigers and lions size difference is marginal if in reality any at all, when looking at weights of fit individuals. So it´s no surprise, that hybrid(s) are the size they are. And before someone mention genes of male lions causing acromegaly, it´s no news. Even without it, hybrids of tigers and lions are big, because they are so similar sized big cats. But with these bears situation isn´t the same, brown bear is clearly smaller and so it´s logical, that hybrids can´t be as big as polar bears are.
4 users Like Shadow's post
Reply

United States Stripedlion2 Offline
Member
**

Thank you. Any weights on grolar bears or estimates?
1 user Likes Stripedlion2's post
Reply

India Jerricson Offline
Prometheus
**

''They kept saying it could be the biggest bear they had ever taken; so we figured out a way to get it loaded whole and took it back to the lodge. They flew in a hanging scale so we could weigh him. After gallons of blood loss he weighed 1,417 pounds. He would have been close to 1,450 pounds while alive. His hide squared 10’4”. He was 7’10” around the belly and 9’1” nose to tail."


*This image is copyright of its original author


https://miaanstine.com/2014/11/11/archer...bear-hunt/

It's quite sickening to see people doing this. Regardless , @GuateGojira , what are your thoughts regarding this specimen ? I guess this might be a new possible record.
1 user Likes Jerricson's post
Reply

GuateGojira Offline
Expert & Researcher
*****

(05-14-2022, 09:29 AM)Jerricson Wrote: 'They kept saying it could be the biggest bear they had ever taken; so we figured out a way to get it loaded whole and took it back to the lodge. They flew in a hanging scale so we could weigh him. After gallons of blood loss he weighed 1,417 pounds. He would have been close to 1,450 pounds while alive. His hide squared 10’4”. He was 7’10” around the belly and 9’1” nose to tail."


*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

https://miaanstine.com/2014/11/11/archer...bear-hunt/

It's quite sickening to see people doing this. Regardless , @GuateGojira , what are your thoughts regarding this specimen ? I guess this might be a new possible record.

Honestly I don't know if we can trust in these modern records, too many estimations and innacuracies, but I think that for a hunting record is ok.

Now, about the dimentions in the picture, certainly are exagerated by the effect of camera and pictures. Imagin a bear with a paw larger than its own head! It is rubbish how these hunters try to exagerate they kills to increase they own ego.
2 users Like GuateGojira's post
Reply

India Jerricson Offline
Prometheus
**
( This post was last modified: 05-17-2022, 07:20 PM by Jerricson )

(05-16-2022, 11:13 PM)GuateGojira Wrote:
(05-14-2022, 09:29 AM)Jerricson Wrote: 'They kept saying it could be the biggest bear they had ever taken; so we figured out a way to get it loaded whole and took it back to the lodge. They flew in a hanging scale so we could weigh him. After gallons of blood loss he weighed 1,417 pounds. He would have been close to 1,450 pounds while alive. His hide squared 10’4”. He was 7’10” around the belly and 9’1” nose to tail."


*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

https://miaanstine.com/2014/11/11/archer...bear-hunt/

It's quite sickening to see people doing this. Regardless , @GuateGojira , what are your thoughts regarding this specimen ? I guess this might be a new possible record.

Honestly I don't know if we can trust in these modern records, too many estimations and innacuracies, but I think that for a hunting record is ok.

Now, about the dimentions in the picture, certainly are exagerated by the effect of camera and pictures. Imagin a bear with a paw larger than its own head! It is rubbish how these hunters try to exagerate they kills to increase they own ego.
Yeah, I agree with you . So , the biggest kodiak specimen weighed from scientific records would be the 1350 lbs male from Troyer's study.
1 user Likes Jerricson's post
Reply

GuateGojira Offline
Expert & Researcher
*****

(05-17-2022, 07:19 PM)Jerricson Wrote: Yeah, I agree with you . So , the biggest kodiak specimen weighed from scientific records would be the 1350 lbs male from Troyer's study.

Yes, the biggest brown bear that I know, in scientific record, is an adult male of 611 kg from the Kodiak Island (Blanchard, 1987).
1 user Likes GuateGojira's post
Reply

Australia GreenGrolar Offline
Regular Member
***

While kodiak bears might be pound to pound stronger, I personally believe that the male polar bears from Foxe Basin are the king of the bears. The largest scientifically verified male polar bear is 810 kg (excluding the hunting articles where the largest male polar bear shot was 2210 pounds).

No doubt there is a kodiak bear named Goliath which has reached 2500 pounds but a wild male polar bear will be fitter than a captive kodiak bear.
1 user Likes GreenGrolar's post
Reply

GuateGojira Offline
Expert & Researcher
*****

(06-04-2022, 05:13 PM)GreenGrolar Wrote: While kodiak bears might be pound to pound stronger, I personally believe that the male polar bears from Foxe Basin are the king of the bears. The largest scientifically verified male polar bear is 810 kg (excluding the hunting articles where the largest male polar bear shot was 2210 pounds).

No doubt there is a kodiak bear named Goliath which has reached 2500 pounds but a wild male polar bear will be fitter than a captive kodiak bear.

I am not aware of this debate of Polar vs Kodiak, but may you please show the information that support/suggest that Kodiak bears are "stronger pound to pound" than polar bears?

What I have read suggest that they are equal, or that polars are stronger based in they bigger size, but are just opinions, no data attached.
1 user Likes GuateGojira's post
Reply

Australia GreenGrolar Offline
Regular Member
***

(06-04-2022, 09:58 PM)GuateGojira Wrote:
(06-04-2022, 05:13 PM)GreenGrolar Wrote: While kodiak bears might be pound to pound stronger, I personally believe that the male polar bears from Foxe Basin are the king of the bears. The largest scientifically verified male polar bear is 810 kg (excluding the hunting articles where the largest male polar bear shot was 2210 pounds).

No doubt there is a kodiak bear named Goliath which has reached 2500 pounds but a wild male polar bear will be fitter than a captive kodiak bear.

I am not aware of this debate of Polar vs Kodiak, but may you please show the information that support/suggest that Kodiak bears are "stronger pound to pound" than polar bears?

What I have read suggest that they are equal, or that polars are stronger based in they bigger size, but are just opinions, no data attached.

Polar bear's seem to be the one with stronger forelimbs:


*This image is copyright of its original author


https://books.google.com.au/books?dq=the...&q&f=false

Sometime ago, Ursus Artos (he hasn't posted a long time) posted data that polar bears have denser bones than brown bears just as a hippo has denser bones than a rhino (can't find that data anymore).

Polar bear's seem to be better grapplers than brown bears:
1. Polar Bear: -7.999
2. Brown Bear: -7.045
3. Spectacled Bear: -6.517
4. Giant Panda: -6.034
5. American Black Bear: -5.521
6. Sloth Bear: -4.447

https://domainofthebears.proboards.com/thread/819/comparing-grappling-ability-extant-ursids

However, brown bear's seem to have a more developed shoulder hump:


*This image is copyright of its original author


https://books.google.it/books?id=D6YTYq5ShTIC&pg=PA41&dq=The+pronounced+shoulder+hump+is+actually+a+powerful+muscle+the+bear+uses+for+digging.&hl=it&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjG4_jtgpvzAhXPDOwKHXpgAYYQ6AF6BAgLEAM#v=onepage&q=The%20pronounced%20shoulder%20hump%20is%20actually%20a%20powerful%20muscle%20the%20bear%20uses%20for%20digging.&f=false


*This image is copyright of its original author


https://books.google.it/books?id=abLCCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT20&dq=The+pronounced+shoulder+hump+is+actually+a+powerful+muscle+the+bear+uses+for+digging.&hl=it&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwicmIfHgZvzAhVFKuwKHUr3AeMQ6AF6BAgDEAM#v=onepage&q=The%20pronounced%20shoulder%20hump%20is%20actually%20a%20powerful%20muscle%20the%20bear%20uses%20for%20digging.&f=false

That is why I believe the kodiak bear is stronger pound to pound although I agree with you a polar bear with a decent weight advantage will be stronger. Feel free to disagree.
1 user Likes GreenGrolar's post
Reply

Australia GreenGrolar Offline
Regular Member
***


*This image is copyright of its original author


The polar bear's jaws are more suited to deal with squirming prey although the kodiak bear has a bigger head and thicker neck. Interesting.
1 user Likes GreenGrolar's post
Reply

GuateGojira Offline
Expert & Researcher
*****

(06-05-2022, 10:54 AM)GreenGrolar Wrote: However, brown bear's seem to have a more developed shoulder hump:


*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author


https://books.google.it/books?id=D6YTYq5ShTIC&pg=PA41&dq=The+pronounced+shoulder+hump+is+actually+a+powerful+muscle+the+bear+uses+for+digging.&hl=it&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjG4_jtgpvzAhXPDOwKHXpgAYYQ6AF6BAgLEAM#v=onepage&q=The%20pronounced%20shoulder%20hump%20is%20actually%20a%20powerful%20muscle%20the%20bear%20uses%20for%20digging.&f=false


*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author


https://books.google.it/books?id=abLCCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT20&dq=The+pronounced+shoulder+hump+is+actually+a+powerful+muscle+the+bear+uses+for+digging.&hl=it&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwicmIfHgZvzAhVFKuwKHUr3AeMQ6AF6BAgDEAM#v=onepage&q=The%20pronounced%20shoulder%20hump%20is%20actually%20a%20powerful%20muscle%20the%20bear%20uses%20for%20digging.&f=false

That is why I believe the kodiak bear is stronger pound to pound although I agree with you a polar bear with a decent weight advantage will be stronger. Feel free to disagree.

Interesting information and I appreciate it, however at least one bear expert will disagree in the last point (the hump), check what Dr Andrew Derocher (2012) says about it:

*This image is copyright of its original author


He says that grizzly bears hump is just more exacerbated because of the skin, not because is bigger itself.

It make sense, as polar bears are active hunters and, in theory, they should be stronger to kill its prey, which like you showed, it could be even belugas and walruses of large size.

I don't know what you think? After all, my data on bears is not as large as in felids.
1 user Likes GuateGojira's post
Reply






Users browsing this thread:
7 Guest(s)

About Us
Go Social     Subscribe  

Welcome to WILDFACT forum, a website that focuses on sharing the joy that wildlife has on offer. We welcome all wildlife lovers to join us in sharing that joy. As a member you can share your research, knowledge and experience on animals with the community.
wildfact.com is intended to serve as an online resource for wildlife lovers of all skill levels from beginners to professionals and from all fields that belong to wildlife anyhow. Our focus area is wild animals from all over world. Content generated here will help showcase the work of wildlife experts and lovers to the world. We believe by the help of your informative article and content we will succeed to educate the world, how these beautiful animals are important to survival of all man kind.
Many thanks for visiting wildfact.com. We hope you will keep visiting wildfact regularly and will refer other members who have passion for wildlife.

Forum software by © MyBB