How many grizzlies in denali

An apex predator—lonely at the top of the food chain—grizzly bears once roamed the entire western part of the North American continent, including areas on the Great Plains and as far south as northern Mexico. Nowadays, however, after gradual elimination due to expanding human settlement, the range of these majestic animals is much smaller. All those parks are in the northern Rocky Mountains or southern Alaska.

This best national parks to see grizzly bears post contains affiliate links. Simply put, the grizzly bear Ursus arctos horribilis is a North American subspecies of the brown bear Ursus arctos.

There are some distinctions to be made. The bears of coastal Alaska are brown bears—not grizzlies. Grizzly bears are generally considered to be brown bears that live inland, without access to coastal food sources like salmon. Brown bears that live in coastal Alaska, in parks like Katmai and Glacier Bay for example, are actual brown bears. Brown bears found in inland parks, such as Glacier and Yellowstone but also Denali, are grizzly bears.

Besides grizzly bears, there are also many other brown bear subspecies, such as the huge Kodiak bear, the Eurasian brown bear, Iberian brown bear and Ussuri brown bear. While they do still occupy much of their original habitat in Alaska and western Canada, grizzly bears live in only a few areas in the contiguous U. Much of the grizzly bear habitat in the continental United States is now within national park boundaries.

You can see grizzly bears in several states in the American Northwest, from Wyoming and Montana to Idaho and even northern Washington. All those states are home to one or more national parks where you can see grizzly bears—with some patience and, often, luck. You can find brown bears in all seven national parks in Alaska.

The following five U. The victim used bear spray that might have cut the attack short, the park service indicated. He walked 1. The hiker was taken to a medical center near the park before he was transferred to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, about miles away, park officials said. He was stabilized at the Fairbanks hospital, they said. Come May, the beautiful beasts emerge from their dens in search of food.

Bear sightings generally occur right through to mid-September. Dawn and dusk are usually the best times for wildlife watching; however, Denali's bears are busy creatures during summer and can be spotted throughout the day. Solitary in nature, Denali's bears are most likely to be sighted alone or as a small family grouping of mother and cubs.

Grizzlies tend to roam on open tundra and along stream and river banks, searching for food. Berries, roots and bulbs sustain them early in the season; however, grizzlies also eat ground squirrels, salmon—when available—moose calves and even sheep.

A bus tour along Denali Park Road offers your best chance to see a grizzly. The section between miles 20 and 60 tends to be a hotspot! Black bears frequent the park's forested areas, with most sightings occurring on the west side of the park and south of the Alaska Range. Ideally, your impromptu bear sighting happens from the comfort of a secure vehicle like a guided bus tour.

If this is the case, your driver will pull over to the side of the road—to prevent a wildlife traffic jam. Stay in your vehicle and enjoy the moment. Three hundred yards is the minimum distance you should maintain between yourself and a bear. The rule of thumb is that if a wild animal adjusts its behavior because of your presence, then you've come too close. If you plan to explore any of Denali National Park's hiking trails, it's critical to be aware of these key bear safety rules.

Alerts In Effect Dismiss. Dismiss View all alerts. Grizzly Bear. The grizzly bear is characterized by a distinctive hump on the shoulders, a slightly dished profile to the face, and long claws on the front paws. Grizzly bears usually live as lone individuals, except for females accompanied by their cubs.

Grizzly bears can be seen in close proximity in areas of abundant food, such as berry patches and salmon spawning areas. During the breeding season, a male may attend a female for up to two weeks for mating.