Brown Bear

Ursus arctos

One of the largest land carnivores in North America, a humped, long-clawed bear found across three continents.

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About the Brown Bear

Brown bears can stand 5 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh more than 1,000 pounds. Their thick fur ranges from dark brown to blonde, and they have a muscular shoulder hump, long straight claws for digging and a dish-shaped face. They live in Europe, Asia and western North America, in tundra, alpine meadows, prairies and coasts, often along rivers. Grizzly bears are a brown bear subspecies.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Ursus arctos^[1]
Size: Up to 5 feet tall at the shoulder.^[1]
Weight: Can exceed 1,000 pounds.^[1]
Lifespan: 15 to 20 years in the wild.^[1]
Diet: Omnivore. Plants, salmon and other animals.^[1]
Habitat: Tundra, alpine meadows, prairies, coasts and river areas with dense cover.^[1]
Where it lives: Europe, Asia and western North America.^[1]
Group life: Mostly crepuscular. Rests in dens through winter.^[1]
Babies: 1 to 3 cubs.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).^[2]

Fun facts

Grizzly bears are a kind of brown bear.^[1]
Coastal brown bears that eat salmon grow bigger than grizzlies.^[1]
A brown bear's face has a dish-shaped profile.^[1]

Vocabulary

torpor: A deep winter sleep that isn't quite hibernation.
den: A sheltered place where an animal rests or raises young.
subspecies: A group within a species that lives in a certain area and looks a little different from other groups.
extirpated: Gone from one area but still living elsewhere.
omnivore: An animal that eats both plants and other animals.

See it in person

Oakland ZooOakland, California · California TrailSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Oakland Zoo. “Brown Bear.” https://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/brown-bear/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Ursus arctos (Brown Bear).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41688/121229971 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

More Bears

American Black BearUrsus americanusThe smallest and most widespread North American bear, a good tree climber that comes in black, brown, cinnamon, blonde and even white.Giant PandaAiluropoda melanoleucaA black-and-white bear of the mountain bamboo forests of southwestern China that eats almost nothing but bamboo.Grizzly BearUrsus arctos (grizzly bears are a subspecies of brown bear)A big North American brown bear with a shoulder hump and silver-tipped fur, and the symbol on California's state flag.Malayan Sun BearHelarctos malayanusThe smallest bear, a tree-climbing honey lover of Southeast Asian forests with a golden patch on its chest and the longest tongue of any bear.Sloth BearMelursus ursinusA shaggy black bear of India and Sri Lanka that slurps up termites and carries its cubs on its back.