It is a close call, but
the polar bear is generally considered the largest bear on Earth.
A close second is the brown bear, specifically the Kodiak bear.
The Kodiak is a subspecies of the brown bear native to Alaska.
The
consensus among experts is that the polar bear is the largest, but
some believe the Kodiak bear to be larger. Part of the dissension
comes from the vagueness of the word "largest." The answer
really depends on how "largest" is defined - Heaviest?
Longest? Largest ever recorded?
The following data, taken
from Gary Brown's Great Bear Almanac (New York, 1993), compares
the average measurements of the polar and brown bear.
| |
Polar Bear |
Brown Bear |
| Average Weight of Mature Male |
900-1,500 pounds |
500-900 pounds |
| Heaviest Recorded |
2,210 pounds |
2,500+ pounds |
| Average Length of Mature Male |
8-8.4 feet |
>7-10 feet |
Source:
The Great Bear Almanac by Gary Brown
 Related
Web Sites |
- International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA) -
The IBA "supports the scientific management of bears through research and distribution of information." Its webpage provides facts sheets on bears of the World, bear conservation, and its peer-reviewed journal Ursus. You can also find information about the work of the Bear Specialist Group (BSG) of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Species Survival Commission (SSC) on this site .
- Is
a polar bear's fur transparent? Everyday Mysteries
from the Library of Congress.
- North
American Bear Center- The mission of the North American
Bear Center is to be a leader in providing understanding
and appreciation of black bears, their role in the ecosystem
and their relationship to humans." This site contains
information about bear research, a slide show, and a kid's
area. By going to the Bear Pages categories, you can get
information about the black, brown and polar bear.
- Polar
Bears International -
Polar Bear International is a non-profit group dedicated
to the conservation of the polar bear. Web site includes
bear facts, photographs, information and research.
|
 Further
Reading |
- Brown,
Gary. The great bear almanac. New York, Lyons &
Burford, 1993. 325 p.
- Craighead,
Lance. Bears of the world. Stillwater, MN, Voyageur
Press, 2000. 132 p.
|
 For
more print resources...
Search on "brown
bear" or "polar bear"
in the Library of Congress Online
Catalog.
|
Who is Larger?
Brown bear. Courtesy of
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
National Image Library.
Polar bear. Courtesy of
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
National Image Library.
|
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