Kodiak Bear

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iKodiak Bear

A Kodiak Bear

Conservation status

Vulnerable (VU)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Ursidae
Genus:	Ursus
Species:	U. arctos
Subspecies:	U. a. middendorffi

Trinomial name

Ursus arctos middendorffi

Kodiak Bear range

The Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi) is an unique subspecies of the brown bear. Kodiak Bears live exclusively on the islands in the Kodiak Archipelago and have been isolated from other bears for about 12,000 years.

1 Size
2 Appearance
3 Behaviour
4 Diet
5 Conservation
6 Gallery

[edit] Size

Kodiak Bears (Alaskan Brown Bears) are the largest of all bears. A bit larger than the Polar bear, the largest Kodiak bear ever caught was 14 feet tall, and ate two hikers. ^{[citation needed]} It weighed almost 2,000 pounds and took over ten shots from a rifle to take it down. ^{[citation needed]}

There are about 3,500 Kodiak bears; a density of about 0.7 bears per square mile. Kodiak bear populations are healthy and productive. They enjoy relatively pristine habitat and well managed fish populations. In most areas the number of bears is stable, but there are some places where bear density is increasing.

[edit] Appearance

Kodiak bears are among the largest bears in the world with 16 of the top 20 brown bears killed by hunters coming from the archipelago. A large male can stand over 10' tall when on his hind legs, and 5' when on all four legs. [1] There are legends and early reports of much larger bears, but these have not been verified.

Boars (male bears) can weigh up to 1,500 pounds after feeding on salmon runs. Sows (female bears) are about 20% smaller, and 30% lighter than boars. In captivity an obese Kodiak bear can get over 3000 pounds but such weights are not seen in the wild.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Social

Although generally solitary in nature, Kodiak bears often occur in large groups in concentrated feeding areas. Because of this, they have developed a complex language and social structure to express their feelings and avoid fights. Only one person has been killed by a bear on Kodiak in the past 75 years. About once every other year a bear injures a person.

[edit] Breeding

Mating season for Kodiak bears is during May and June. They are serially monogamous (having one partner at a time), staying together for a couple days or a couple weeks. As soon as the egg is fertilized and divides a few times, it enters a state of suspended animation until autumn when it finally implants on the uterine wall and begins to grow again. Cubs are born in the den during January or February. Weighing less than a pound at birth with little hair and closed eyes, they suckle for several months, emerging from the den in May or June, weighing 15-20 pounds. Typical litter sizes are 2-3 cubs. Sows are sometimes seen with 5 or 6 cubs in tow, probably due to adopting cubs from other litters. Most cubs stay with their mothers for 3 years. Over 25% of the cubs die before they leave, with cannibalism by adult males being one of the major causes of death.

Bears that have recently left their mothers, at ages 3-5, have a high mortality rate as they face the world on their own. Some of these subadults are the “juvenile delinquents” of bear society and are also the ones most likely to cause problems with people. Kodiak bears become sexually mature at age 5 and can continue to produce cubs throughout their lives. The average interval between litters is about 4 years. The oldest known wild Kodiak bear was a 34-year-old sow. The oldest boar was 27.

Kodiak bears begin entering their dens in late October. Pregnant sows are the first to go to dens, males are the last. Males begin emerging from their dens in early April, while sows with new cubs may stay in dens until late June. Some males forego denning, staying awake all winter. Medical researchers are very interested in denning physiology. They are trying to determine how bears can sleep for up to 8 months without eating, drinking, urinating or defecating, yet when they awaken they have lost little bone mass or muscle tone and have no signs of uremia.

[edit] Hunting

Bears on Kodiak are naturally diurnal (active during the day), but when faced with competition for food or space, they adopt a more nocturnal (active at night) life style. They do not defend territories, but they do have traditional areas that they use each year (home ranges). Because of the rich variety of foods available on Kodiak, bears here have some of the smallest home ranges of any brown bear population.

[edit] Diet

Though Kodiak bears are often touted as the world's largest land carnivore (meat eaters), they are really omnivores (using a variety of foods). They actually spend more time eating grass, plants and berries than meat. Fish are an important part of their diets, but few Kodiak bears expend the time or effort necessary to chase and kill mammals. They use the most nutritious parts of their food to maximize their weight gain. Grass and forbs are only used while they are rapidly growing in the spring and early summer. Brains, flesh and eggs are preferred parts of the salmon. Internal organs of deer, elk and cattle are eaten first when one is killed or scavenged. Berries are used most often when they are ripe and sugars are at their highest level.

[edit] Conservation

Traditionally, Kodiak Natives (Alutiiqs) hunted bears for food, clothing and tools. Arrows, spears, and a great deal of courage were required hunting equipment. Bear heads were usually left in the field as a sign of respect to the spirit of the bears. Kodiak bears were commercially hunted throughout the 1800s with the price paid for a bear hide being comparable to that paid for a beaver or river otter pelt (about $10).

Bears and cattle ranchers have waged an ongoing battle for the past 200 years. Original Russian settlers were encouraged to bring large aggressive dogs to protect cattle from bears. As early as the 1930s, biologists and ranchers were exploring ways to reduce the number of cattle killed by bears. At one point bears were shot from airplanes, and a 9-foot high bear fence was proposed to bisect Kodiak Island and create a “bear-free zone.” All active efforts at bear control in Kodiak ended in the mid-1960s.

Concern over reduced bear populations prompted sportsmen to petition the Federal government to protect bears and their habitat on Kodiak. The results of their efforts were stricter regulations and creation of Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge in 1941.

Today hunters kill about 160 Kodiak bears each year under tightly controlled regulations. About 5,000 Alaska resident hunters apply each year for a chance at the 319 bear permits that are available for them. Hunters who are not residents of Alaska must hire a professional guide, paying $10,000 – $15,000 per hunt. Over 70% of the Kodiak bears killed by hunters are males. Kodiak bear research, management and habitat protection is done cooperatively by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game and Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge.