The answer to whether grizzly bears are found in Memphis, Tennessee, is definitively no. The Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) does not inhabit the state of Tennessee. This large subspecies of brown bear is separated from West Tennessee by thousands of miles and a fundamentally different ecosystem. Any bear encountered in the state belongs to a different species entirely.
Geographic Range of the Grizzly
The Grizzly Bear is a species of brown bear that requires immense tracts of isolated wilderness to thrive. Historically, the species ranged across much of the western half of the contiguous United States. Since the 1800s, that distribution has been drastically reduced. Today, core populations in the contiguous United States are restricted to isolated ecosystems within the Northern Rocky Mountains, primarily in parts of Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.
The habitat requirements of the Grizzly Bear are incompatible with the landscape of the southeastern United States. These bears need a large home range, sometimes between 200 and 500 square miles for males. Their terrain must encompass high mountain forests, subalpine meadows, and remote grasslands. Grizzlies primarily forage on vegetation, insects, and occasionally larger prey, and they require high-elevation slopes for digging winter dens.
The current distribution of Ursus arctos horribilis is concentrated in Alaska, western Canada, and the northwestern U.S. The sheer distance and lack of the expansive, high-altitude wilderness they depend on make the presence of a grizzly in Tennessee impossible. Their ecological needs are tailored to the rugged, high-latitude environments of the West, not the humid, lower-elevation deciduous forests of the Southeast.
Bear Species Found in Tennessee
The only bear species that lives in Tennessee is the American Black Bear (Ursus americanus). While smaller than grizzlies, adult males can weigh between 125 and 600 pounds. The largest populations are concentrated in East Tennessee, particularly within the Appalachian Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Tennessee’s black bear population is expanding, with a second distinct population located on the Cumberland Plateau. This growth has led to increased sightings in Middle and West Tennessee, though they remain rare near the Mississippi River. Black bears prefer forested areas and dense cover, but they are highly adaptable and may wander into peripheral areas near Memphis if attracted by food sources.
Distinguishing the American Black Bear from the Grizzly Bear is straightforward. The black bear lacks the prominent shoulder hump characteristic of the grizzly. Black bears have a straighter facial profile and shorter, curved claws suited for climbing trees, a behavior grizzlies rarely perform. The state’s approximately 5,500 to 6,000 black bears represent a healthy and slowly increasing population.