Bears of Bute

Bute, and all of British Columbia for that matter, is the natural habitat to two main species of bear, the black bear and the grizzly bear. Telling the two apart is not quite as easy as their names might indicate. Once you figured out grizzly bears are brown, it would seem the work is practically done for you, but despite their misleading moniker, black bears can range from black to cinnamon to light blond. To determine which species has confronted you, you will have to conduct a further examination beyond the mere color of their coat (perhaps from your play-dead fetal position).Size, like their coloring, can vary greatly from bear to bear as well. While grizzlies are larger on average, individual bears of both species come in big and small packages. Male grizzly bears typically hover around 500 lbs. Females are slightly smaller, weighing in around 350 lbs. Larger grizzly bears can reach a peak weight around 800 lbs., over twice the size of the average female. Most black bears, on the other hand, fall between 110 and 300 lbs. The largest of their kind can reach up to 400 lbs., larger than the grizzly females. The potential overlap in size between larger black bear males and female grizzly bears can cause confusion, unless you are in a position to do a very thorough investigation that the bear may not take too kindly to. Read the rest of this entry »