The Yukon is home to all three species of North American Bears. Learn how to avoid confrontations with these majestic mammals.
In the relationship between bears and humans, the bears have always lost. In much of the world, bears have become extinct and in large parts of North America, bears are only found in history books, textbooks and natural history museums.
The Yukon is one of the few places in the world where one can still find polar bears, black bears and the majestic grizzly bears in the wild. While the polar bear is rare and becoming rarer – some scientists believe their numbers have dwindled to under 150, the grizzly at an estimated population of 6000, and the blacks, at an estimated population of 10,000, are often encountered both in the back country and close to areas populated by humans.
Often hikers confuse black bears with grizzlies because of their coloration, but the differences between the two are apparent. Both species range in color from dark black to light brown or cinnamon.
Male black bears weigh between 80 to 250 kilograms – females much less, while male grizzlies weigh substantially more – 250 to 320 kilograms. Again, the females are much lighter, but still big! A polar bear is huge – weighing as much as 500+ kilos.
You are much more likely to run into a grizzly than you are a black in the daytime, although both feed on berries, the black is more nocturnal and takes advantage of daylight to move from A to B rather than to feed.
The easiest way to tell the difference between the two species, especially if you are at a distance is to remember their size, and that the grizzly has a large unmistakable hump between it’s shoulders, it’s claws are visible, even when not extended and it’s face is much flatter than that of a black.
Polar bears thrive on meat; seals, fish – whatever they can get their claws on. Grizzlies and blacks prefer veggies -- berries, roots, grasses – whatever they can forage, as well as fish. Grizzlies are solitary. They are excellent hunters and will go after larger animals, including black bears. Both species love salmon – especially when they are spawning.
Black bears are forest dwellers and commonly travel in pairs. They have little fear of humans, and often frequent populated areas, drawn by the smell of food cooking, or garbage. Their sight and smell is excellent and they are very fast when they want to be. If you are outdoors in the Yukon, you are most likely to encounter a black over a grizzly.
With all bears, the best defense is to let them know you are in their space. Most attacks occur in the bush when campers store their food improperly. Grizzlies are less likely to randomly attack a human, whereas blacks are less predictable. Always make a noise when hiking or walking in bear country – carry bear bells, or a bear banger. As a last resort, pack in some pepper spray – although let’s face it – who wants to be that close to a bear – better to avoid a confrontation.
