Kodiak Bear By: SM

Kodiak Bear  Family: Ursidae  Genus: Ursus  Species: U. arctos

Description  Male: size = 360 kg (800 lbs) to 635 kg (1400 lbs)  Height: 244 cm (8 ft 0 in) in length and stands 133 cm (4 ft 4 in) tall at the shoulder  Female: size = 225 kg (500 lbs) to 315 kg (700 lbs) Hair colors range from blonde to orange (typically females or bears from southern parts of the archipelago) to dark brown. Cubs often retain a white “natal ring” around their neck for the first couple years of life. The Kodiak's color is similar to that of their very close relative, the Grizzly bear.

Habitat  Kodiak islands  Sub polar oceanic climate  Cool temperatures  Overcast skies  Fog  Windy conditions  Moderate precipitation  Varies from rolling hills to flat tundra  Around 14,000 people

Symbiotic relationship  Kodiak bears have a symbiotic relationship with plants. This is because they are mostly vegetarian so when they eat plants, they are digging through disturbing other plants and keeping them from getting the appropriate survival needs.

Source Of Energy  The Kodiak bear mainly relies on plants and other vegetation to survive. Kodiak bears are vegetarian but eat meat from time to time. They tend to eat fish from the river.  Nothing eats the Kodiak bear however some animals may stand up to the bear to protect themselves, family, or for scarcity of food.

Reproduction  Kodiak bears reach sexual maturity at about 5 years of age, but most females don't have any offspring until they are about 9.  The mating season occurs in May and June. Two or three cubs are born the next January or February during hibernation.  They weigh less than a pound at birth, but will weigh 15 to 20 pounds when they leave the den in May or June. The cubs usually stay with their mother for 3 years. Females reproduce about every 4 years throughout most of their lives.

Threats/Environmental hazards  Nothing major poses a threat to the Kodiak bear.  However if the population of fish or vegetation were to decrease then the bears would not find sufficient amounts of food and the population of Kodiak bears would decrease.  Kodiak bears do pose a threat to some organisms. Including humans.  Outside of what they naturally eat, Kodiak bears are a threat to humans. Bears are a big population on the Kodiak islands and humans are starting to invade their territory.

Importance  Kodiak bears are important to the ecosystem just like any other animal.  They eat to keep the population levels normal and they reproduce at a rate that does not increase to rapidly.  They are amazing creatures and they don’t pose a threat to many other organisms.  Therefor the Kodiak bear is important.

citations  =brownbear.trivia =brownbear.trivia  rs.asp rs.asp  012/04/30/the-biggest-of-the-big-the-brown- bears-of-alaska-and-the-far-east/ 012/04/30/the-biggest-of-the-big-the-brown- bears-of-alaska-and-the-far-east/