Grizzly Bears in Canada
Written by Dr. Owen Slater
One of the sure signs of spring in western Canada that many wildlife enthusiasts look forward to is the emergence of grizzly bears from their dens. Adult males, with their larger body size and fat reserves are the first to wake up, usually in March or April, and they are often spotted as they make their way down into the valley bottoms looking for food exposed underneath the melting snowpack.
The Boss - Banff’s Famous Grizzly Bear
Locals have nicknamed him The Boss, and he is confirmed via genetic testing of hair samples to be the father of many cubs born in the park. One of my most memorable encounters was watching him lumbering along during a snowstorm, at a time when no other bears were out. Yet there he was, poking his nose into the snow looking for berries, seemingly oblivious to the harsh conditions.
Do Grizzly Bears Hibernate?
Unlike small mammals such as ground squirrels and marmots, which go into deep hibernation, bears enter a lighter state of hibernation called torpor to conserve energy when food sources are insufficient. Their heart and respiratory rates slow down, and their body temperature decreases by several degrees into the low to mid 30’s. In contrast to small mammals, bears can wake up and move if their den site is disturbed or when females give birth to cubs. The denning period varies based on multiple variables including body size, and if females have given birth to cubs, with smaller bears and females with cubs of the year (referred to as coy) leaving dens later in spring (May) and returning the earliest in the fall (October-November).
Differences Between Grizzly Bears in Alberta and British Columbia
There are many contrasts between British Columbia’s coastal grizzly bears found in the Khutzeymateen, to those in the Alberta and BC Rockies. One of the biggest differences relates to food sources, which are much more abundant on the coast, with many plants and seafood to feast on. As such, coastal bears are larger and adult males are estimated to weigh close to 400kg. In comparison, during his prime about 10 years ago, a grizzly bear 122 weighed just under 300kg. With easier access to abundant food sources, bears grow quicker and can mature sooner on the coast, which means they can reproduce at a younger age and have more litters throughout their lifespan, which averages 20-25 years in the wild.
The Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bears
With this high density of easily accessible food, the Khutzeymateen near Prince Rupert B.C. is renowned for having one of the highest population densities of grizzly bears anywhere in Canada. In fact, there are roughly the same number of grizzly bears within the Khutzeymateen as in all of Banff National Park. That may not sound impressive initially, but the Khutzeymateen is almost 15 times smaller in size, yet still is home to an estimated 50-60 bears.
The lush temperate rainforest and estuary create the perfect environment for grizzly bears to restock on food in the early spring and as such it is common to see several along the shoreline.
What to Grizzly Bears Eat?
We spotted this bear looking into a freshwater stream flowing into the estuary, likely searching for salmon starting their journey upstream. In the Rocky Mountains, animal protein sources are much harder to come by, but bears have figured out how to dig up ground squirrels, catch ungulate calves and scavenge on the occasional carcass.
However, they rely much more on plant sources resulting in them moving up and down the mountains based on the ripening fruit and other vegetation available. In early spring, the roots of sweetvetch and leaves and flowers of dandelions are highly sought after, and as summer arrives buffalo berries and huckleberries make up much more of the diet. It’s estimated that an adult grizzly bear can easily consume over 100,000 berries in a day. Regardless of where a grizzly bear is found in Canada, you can be sure that these highly intelligent omnivores will figure out what seasonally available food sources are around and make the most of them.
Grizzly Bear Mating Season Begins
June is mating season, when the otherwise elusive and solitary large male bears, also known as boars, will be searching for receptive females (sows). This is the one time of year when adult males and females will regularly socialize, and breeding males will spar with each other for the chance to mate.
Sows with young cubs can also be spotted, with litter sizes typically ranging between 1-3 cubs. This sow spent the majority of her time eating the sedge grass while using her keen sense of smell to keep alert for any large male bears that could pose a risk to her young cub. After filling up on grasses, the sow took her cub closer to the forest edge and after making sure it was safe, she laid down on her back in the tall grasses. The cub quickly climbed up onto her and nursed for several minutes.
Book your Grizzly Bear Tour in 2024 and visit the largest grizzly bear sanctuary on earth - the pristine Khutzeymateen.
Dr. Owen Slater is an instructor in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary where he teaches wildlife veterinary medicine. He also works for the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative and consults for various agencies including Parks Canada, the Alberta and BC Provincial governments, primarily on species at risk.
He is keen to share his wildlife knowledge and experiences with others and is an avid wildlife photographer Owen Slater Photography.
Classic Canadian Tours is pleased to have Owen join our tours as a guest naturalist.
