Grizzly Bear (Prairie population)

Ursus arctos

The dreaded grizzly bear has gained a reputation as a cold-blooded killer over the years. There have been horror films depicting this shy and discrete creature as a bloodthirsty man-eater. Although the grizzly bear is very dangerous due to its unpredictability, it will often run at the first sight of people. Grizzlies will only attack if they are cornered, wounded or protecting their pups. The grizzly bear occurs in western Canada, especially in British Columbia, Alberta, and the Yukon. Grizzlies prefer areas that are open with little cover. Unlike the black bear, the grizzly bear cannot climb trees to feed, but it is an apt swimmer and fisher. Grizzlies often congregate at streams during the salmon migration and will feed on the fish until they build up enough brown fat to sustain them during their fall and winter hibernation. The grizzlies of the Canadian plains once occured as far east as the Red River of Manitoba, but were extirpated at the time of human settlement, along with the bison. The only population of grizzlies east of the Rockies is found in Swan Hills, Alberta. The high elevation and dense forest of this prairie refugium have allowed about 400 great plains grizzlies to survive.