How To Tell Black Bears And Grizzlies Apart (And How To Handle An Encounter)
Black bears and grizzly bears both have the potential to be dangerous and both deserve an enormous amount of respect in the wild, but knowing the difference between the two can be vital for safety. Color and size alone aren’t enough to differentiate between them, as they can often be misleading, so learning the differences in physical characteristics and tracks is important for making safe choices in bear territory.
Grizzly Bears/Brown Bears
Brown bears and grizzly bears are the same species but they’re often separated by geographic location, diet size, and behavior. Bears living in coastal areas of Alaska are called brown bears, while the inland bears living in areas like Yellowstone National Park and called grizzly bears. These inland bears have no access to marine-derived food resources and are often smaller than the coastal bears.
However, despite the size difference, grizzly bears and brown bears have the same physical characteristics. Primarily this means a distinctive shoulder hump and hindquarters that sit lower than the shoulder hump. They have a dished-shape face profile between their eyes and the tip of their snout, and their ears are short and round. Grizzly bear claws are slightly curved, ranging between 2-4 inches long depending on how much digging that bear does.
Additionally grizzly bears have toes that sit close together, typically forming a straight line. When on all fours, brown bears are 3-5 feet tall at the shoulder. This is usually larger than black bears, but as already mentioned, size can be misleading. Instead looking for that shoulder hump and dished face profile is the best move to identify the animal.
Black Bear
Black bears, despite their name, are not always black in color. They range from cinnamon to white, black, and gray. These animals are the most common species of bear in North America, living just about anywhere from the beach to the mountains.
To identify a black bear, look for shoulders that lie level or flat with their back (no shoulder hump) and hindquarters that rise above the front shoulders. Their face profile is straight from the eyes to the tip of their muzzle, and their ears feature more of an oval shape. Black bear front claws are usually less than 2 inches, much shorter than grizzly bears, and their toes are separated and more arched.
Black bears typically stand around 2-3.5 feet at the shoulders when on all fours, but once again, size can be misleading.
What To Do In An Encounter
If you encounter a bear, stay calm and never run or try to climb a tree. Slowly back away while avoiding direct eye contact, speak calmly, and wave your arms so the bear knows you are human. If the bear makes a bluff charge, stand your ground and remain calm. If you are attacked by a black bear, fight back with everything you have, using punches, kicks, rocks, branches, or bear spray. Do not play dead during a black bear attack.
If a grizzly or brown bear attacks you defensively, play dead. Lie flat on your stomach, spread your legs, and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms. Keep your pack on and remain still until the bear leaves. If the attack continues, fight back with everything you have. Predatory bears are different. If a bear stalks you or acts predatory, seek shelter if possible and be prepared to fight back regardless of the species. Report all bear encounters to authorities.
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