Brown Bear
Facts
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LC
Status
Least Concern
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Population
110,000
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Scientific Name
Ursus arctos
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Height
3.35 feet to shoulders
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Weight
Up to 1,500 lbs
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Length
6.5 feet
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Habitats
Forests, Tundra
Map data provided by IUCN.
Few animals have captured the imagination like brown bears. They can stand on two legs, walk on the soles of their feet, pick things up with their “fingers,” and often eat what we eat. This—coupled with their ability to communicate with one another through scratch marks left on trees, smells and sounds—establishes a similarity to our own way of life. Some of the largest living carnivores, brown bears have fallen prey to hunting and other conflicts with humans.
- Places
- Habitats
Defending the brown bears of Bristol Bay
Brown bears are not listed as an endangered species—in fact, some populations are doing quite well—but in Southwest Alaska, they face an impending threat from the proposed development of an open-pit gold and copper mine.

Why They Matter
Threats
- Population 110,000
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Extinction Risk Least Concern
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EX
Extinct
No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died
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EW
Extinct in the Wild
Known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalised population
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CR
Critically Endangered
Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the Wild
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EN
Endangered
Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild
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VU
Vulnerable
Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild
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NT
Near Threatened
Likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future
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LC
Least Concern
Does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened
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EX

Formerly hunted for its hides, meat, and as a big game trophy, the brown bear’s most severe threats are currently habitat destruction and persecution.
Hunting
Brown bears were pursued extensively due to their size, valuable furs and meat. The brown bear population now occupies just 2% of its former range. Bear gall bladders reportedly bring high prices as traditional medicines on the Asian market although there is no evidence that products derived from bear parts have medical value.
Habitat Loss
Human expansion into the bears’ natural habitat, as well as instances where brown bears are considered nuisances, demonstrate the tension that exists between bears and people. Logging, mining, road construction, and other development—coupled with human attempts to prevent brown bears’ interference with things like livestock, crops, water supplies, and garbage bins—all impact this animal population.
What WWF Is Doing

WWF works continuously to conserve bear populations and maintain a vital habitat for the bears. This includes forging new partnerships with businesses to ensure that adequate protection is in place.
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