Grizzly+Bear+2010



By: Mariah Y

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Grizzly bears can be found roaming the wilds of Canada and Alaska. Grizzly bears once lived in western North America and roamed the Great Plains. Then European settlement gradually eliminated the bears, today 1,000 Grizzly bears remain in the continental U.S. where they are protected by law. Grizzly bears are powerful and the top-of-the-food-chain. Their diet consists of nuts, berries, fruits, leaves, and roots. The bears also eat an animal that is why they are omnivores. The average life span for a Grizzly bear is 25 years. Grizzly bears often weigh up to 800lbs. and can grow up to 5 to 8 feet. Grizzly bears get their name from the grayish or grizzled tips of its fur. Despite their size Grizzly bears are quite fast and have been known to run 30mph. Grizzly bears can be dangerous if a human surprises them or if a human comes between a mother and her cubs. Grizzly bears have the lowest reproductive rate. Grizzly bears mate in the summer and do not give birth until hibernation, during which abortion can occur. Grizzly bears produce 2 cubs per litter. The mother cares for the cubs up to 2 years, during which a mother will not mate. Once the young leaves or had been killed, females will not produce another litter for another 3 or more years depending on the climate. Within the U.S. the Fish and Wildlife service concentrates its efforts to restore Grizzly bears. On September 22, 2009 a federal judge reinstated the law for the Grizzly bears.

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