Canada’s vast landscapes are home to diverse wildlife, including native bear species. These powerful animals roam extensive wilderness areas, playing important roles in their ecosystems and adapting to environments from dense forests to Arctic ice.
The American Black Bear
The American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus) is the most widespread bear species in Canada, found in every province and territory except Prince Edward Island. These bears are smaller than other Canadian species. Males typically weigh 115 to 270 kilograms, while females average 92 to 140 kilograms.
Despite their name, American Black Bears exhibit various coat colors, including brown, dark red, bluish, cinnamon, or even white, as seen in the Kermode bear subspecies in British Columbia. They have rounded ears, a prominent snout, and five curved claws on each foot, used for digging and climbing. These omnivores primarily inhabit forested areas. Their diet consists of about 75% plant matter like fruits, nuts, and berries, supplemented by insects, small mammals, and fish.
The Grizzly Bear
The Grizzly Bear ( Ursus arctos horribilis), a brown bear subspecies, is found predominantly in western and northern Canada, including British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. These bears are larger than black bears. Males weigh 180 to 270 kilograms, with some reaching 250 to 400 kilograms, while females weigh 100 to 150 kilograms, or up to 200 kilograms in coastal areas.
Grizzly Bears are distinguished by a muscular hump over their shoulders, a “dished” or concave facial profile, and longer front claws, differentiating them from black bears. Their fur color varies from blonde to black, often with white or grey flecks on the tips, giving them a “grizzled” appearance. Although classified as carnivores, their diet is primarily omnivorous, including grasses, nuts, seeds, and berries, alongside small mammals and salmon, especially in coastal regions.
The Polar Bear
The Polar Bear ( Ursus maritimus) is the largest bear species globally and the world’s largest land carnivore, adapted to the harsh Arctic environment. Males typically weigh 350 to over 650 kilograms, with some reaching 800 kilograms, and can be up to 2.8 meters long. Females are smaller, generally weighing 150 to 250 kilograms.
Their thick coat, ranging from pure white to creamy yellow, provides excellent insulation and camouflage, also covering their paw pads for traction on ice. Polar Bears are found in Canada’s northern regions, including parts of the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Their diet consists primarily of seals, hunted from sea ice, which is essential for their survival, hunting, mating, and denning.