Ursus arctos horribilis

Conservation status

Least concern

Grizzlies are brown bears, but they are larger than their European relatives and are now only found in northwestern North America. Largely herbivorous, they feed mainly on grasses, nuts and berries — but they also hunt animals, from mice to moose. In the 19th century, grizzlies were almost exterminated by European colonists in North America. They were regarded as pests and were hunted for their meat and pelt. Since the 1970s, the species has been protected, and grizzly populations are now considered stable. Conflicts do still often arise, however, as is the case whenever habitats are shared by humans and wildlife.