Interesting reading. All grizzly bears are brown bears but all brown bears aren't grizzlies.
https://www.nathab.com/blog/grizzly-bears-and-brown-bears/
https://www.nathab.com/blog/grizzly-bears-and-brown-bears/
Brown bears and grizzlies
- Thread starter Fox Mike
- Start date
BearBio
Buckeye
Interesting but not really accurate from a biological perspective. There is no true definition of a species. Ernst Meyer's Biological Species Concept is the most useful and widely used: Populations that interbreed but do not normally breed with other populations (quick explanation!). For instance, the term "coral" can apply to individual polyps, a group of polyps that exchange nuclear material (and, thusly DNA), all the polyps in a reef that exchange DNA, or since corals bud, other reefs established from broken clumps. Clonal organisms constitute a "species" although genetically identical; this is for convenience. Because they are genetically identical, bacteria and viruses don't have species per se. By the way, you know that if coral breaks off inside of you, it can grow within your body? (called coral poisoning)
Back to bears: Bears have been re-classified many times. Polar bears were Euractos maritimus but are now Ursus maritimus. Grinnell described 83 different subspecies of black bear; when I did my thesis, we recognized three. By the way, many black bears are brown. There are also blue and white (not albino) black bears. The darker forms tend to inhabit dark forests as opposed to chaparral. Generally, brown bears reach a greater size because of a high protein diet of fish. Brown bears include Eurasian brown bears, grizzly bears, Russian brown bears and Japanese brown bears as well as others, depending on which authority you read
Back to bears: Bears have been re-classified many times. Polar bears were Euractos maritimus but are now Ursus maritimus. Grinnell described 83 different subspecies of black bear; when I did my thesis, we recognized three. By the way, many black bears are brown. There are also blue and white (not albino) black bears. The darker forms tend to inhabit dark forests as opposed to chaparral. Generally, brown bears reach a greater size because of a high protein diet of fish. Brown bears include Eurasian brown bears, grizzly bears, Russian brown bears and Japanese brown bears as well as others, depending on which authority you read
OP
Sorry to have posted it. I guess it is a lot like there are people and then there are PEOPLE. Just thought it was interesting information.BearBio said:
I appreciate both of your posts. Very interesting subject.
Fox Mike said:
Don't be sorry, it is, in fact, quite interesting. Thanks for posting it. :mrgreen:
Then there are Pandas. But are they actually bears? Depends on which “expert” you listen to. Toss in the occasional hybrid black/brown and then they breed with one or the other. But what if hybrids breed with other hybrids. Do their offspring consist of a new “breed”. Only man cares. Bears are just bears to other bears
All I know about Grizzlys is there used to be a stuffed one in the entrance to a bar here in town..... that was one big sucker.... stood about 10 or 12ft tall.... I don't care what kind of gun you are carrying.... it that thing jumped up from behind a rock or bush near you.... you are probably dead... even if you got a good shot off.
If you're killed by a grizzly or a brown bear does it matter which one?
Chuckbuster II
Single-Sixer
And there is the one about how to tell whether it is Black Bear or Grizzly Bear “scat” on the trail in front of you…
BearBio
Buckeye
Weatherby's in South Gate (The "old" shop on Firestone) had a standing polar bear in the front window of the store. VERY tall!!!!
I was going to mention pandas but decided not to confuse things: The (the greater panda, not the lesser) are now classified as "Ursus", last I checked.
telling black bear from grizzly: Montana requires a bear ID test before getting a license. Take it once and you're good. Interesting. When I taught bear safety at my Fish and Wildlife Office, I would require people to take it before I would certify them to carry bear spray (we also required a multi-hour on-line course).
I was going to mention pandas but decided not to confuse things: The (the greater panda, not the lesser) are now classified as "Ursus", last I checked.
telling black bear from grizzly: Montana requires a bear ID test before getting a license. Take it once and you're good. Interesting. When I taught bear safety at my Fish and Wildlife Office, I would require people to take it before I would certify them to carry bear spray (we also required a multi-hour on-line course).
protoolman
Service-Sixer
The only species I don't carry a gun for is gummy bears.
Pat-inCO
Hawkeye
It could,redhawker said:
but the grizzly bear scat will most likely have little bells in it and smell of pepper. :wink:
Thanks for posting about this fellows. Interesting reading though I really hope I never run across either one in the woods.
I did read an online post once by a fellow that had killed a brown bear that was charging him. He used a Ruger Alaskan revolver chambered for 454 Casull. There were a lot of pictures. Brown bears are huge. I went back later looking for his post & found it but the pictures were gone.
I did read an online post once by a fellow that had killed a brown bear that was charging him. He used a Ruger Alaskan revolver chambered for 454 Casull. There were a lot of pictures. Brown bears are huge. I went back later looking for his post & found it but the pictures were gone.
BearBio said:
My point exactly. Science has a habit of changing it's mind. Think poor Pluto. It was a planet, then it wasn't now it's somewhere in between.
toysoldier
Hunter
There are also hybrid brown/polar bears.
Jeepnik said:
I thought Pluto is a dog? 8)
BearBio
Buckeye
Jeepnik said:
Genetics work has really changed the game. Also, some taxonomists (Biologists who classify animals) are "lumpers" and some are "splitters". Furthermore, much of classification dates back to Carl Linnea (Linnaeus) in the 1700's.
