KODIAK BEAR

Updated 05-May-2020.

Mondo shtuff from around the internet, all about KODIAK BEAR!

Alaskan Grizzly Bear (Subspecies Ursus arctos middendorffi): The Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi), also known as the Kodiak brown bear, sometimes the Alaskan brown bear, inhabits the islands of the Kodiak Archipelago in southwest Alaska. Its Alutiiq name is taquka-aq. It is the largest recognized subspecies of brown bear, and one of the two largest bears alive today, the other being the polar bear. (Source: Wikipedia, ”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodiak_bear, CC BY-SA 3.0 . Photo: (c) Gunnar Ries, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND))

My botty best at summarizing from Wikipedia: the Kodiak brown bear is the largest recognized subspecies or population of the brown bear . it is one of the two largest bears alive today, the other being the polar bears . the diet and lifestyle of the the IUCN classifies Ursus arctos, the species to which the Kodiak belongs, as being of “least concern” in terms of endangerment or extinction . the species is of ” the IUCN does not differentiate between subspecies; therefore, it is unknown whether the Kodiak bear population is healthy . the Alaska Department of Fish and Game closely monitors the number of bears hunted in the state Kodiak bears have been genetically isolated since at least the last ice age . genetic samples show that they are related to brown bears on the Alaska Peninsula and Kamchatka, Russia . males average 477–534 kg (1,052–1,177 lb) over the course of the year . females are typically about 20% smaller and 30% lighter than males . bears weigh the least when the largest recorded wild male weighed 751 kg (1,656 lb) and had a hind foot measurement of 46 cm (18 in) a large male Kodiak bear stands up to 1.5 m (4.9 the standard method of evaluating the size of bears is by measuring their skulls . most North American hunting organizations and management agencies use calipers to measure the length of the skull . the largest bear ever killed in north America was from Kodiak Island . the average skull size of brown bears was 63.8 cm (25.1 in) for boars . During the past decade the population has been slowly increasing the average time between litters is four years . mating season for Kodiak bears is during May and June . they are serially monogamous (having one partner at a time) Kodiak bears have six functional nipples and litters up to six cubs have been reported . sows sometimes seen with five or six cubes in tow, probably due to adopting cu Kodiak bears that have recently left their mothers, at ages 3–5 years, have high mortality rates with only 56% of males and 89% of females surviving . most adult sows die of natural the oldest known boar in the wild was 27 years old, and the oldest sow was 35 . pregnant sows are usually the first to go to dens; males are the last . most Kodia a quarter of adult bears forgo denning, staying somewhat active throughout the winter . this behavior is especially evident in the bears that live near and within Kodiak City . because of the rich variety of foods available on about 14,000 people live on the archipelago . roads and other human alterations are generally limited to Afognak Island and the northeastern part of Kodiak Island . salmon runs extend from May through September on most of the archipelago . bears consume the five species of Pacific salmon that spawn in local streams and lakes . few Kodiak bears actively prey on them up to 60 bears can be seen simultaneously in a 2.6 km2 (1.0 sq mi) area . bears have learned to minimize fighting and fatal interactions . climate change causes elderberries to ripen earlier . bears are surprised, threatened, or attracted by human food, garbage, or hunter-killed game . there has been an increase in Kodiak encounters due to increases in local population . one fatal bear attack the last fatality was in 1921 . both incidents involved hunters hunting by themselves . about once every other year, a bear injures a person on Kodiak . traditional stories revolved around similarity between bears and humans . bear hides were considered a “minor fur” and sold for about the same price as river otter pelts . commercial fishing activities increased in by the 1930s ranchers on northeast Kodiak reported an increase in bear problems . bears were also seen as a threat to the expanding commercial salmon-fishing industry . the impacts of the new regulations seemed to restore bear the 7,700 km2 (1,900,000 acres) refuge roughly encompasses the southwestern two-thirds of Kodiak Island, Uganik Island, the Red Peaks area on northwestern Afogna the state continued actively pursuing and dispatching problem bears until 1970 . the impacts were felt strongly on the archipelago as large areas were conveyed to the Native corporations . in 1975, construction of a in 1979, work began on an environmental impact statement for the Terror Lake hydroelectric project . the hydro project was the first significant invasion of inland bear habitat on kodiak island . a mitigation settlement was negotiated in bears were not directly harmed by the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 . no one was injured by a bear, and no Kodiak . bears on the archipelago . by the close of the 20th century, over 80% of refuge lands were reinstated into the refuge . land was purchased in America, Westtown, and Shuyak Islands and transferred into state ownership . the kodiak the resulting Kodiak Archipelago Bear Conservation and Management Plan was crafted over several months by representatives from 12 diverse user groups . the underlying themes of the recommendations were continued conservation of the bear population at its current level the Kodiak is not listed as an endangered species by the Endangered Species Act of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service . bear hunting is managed by the ADF&G, and hunting regulations are established by all hunters must come into the Alaska Department of Fish and Game office in Kodiak prior to going into the field for a brief orientation and must check out before they leave the island . every bear that is legally killed on the archi the island’s remote location makes trafficking in illegal pelts difficult for would-be poachers . since statehood, the reported number of Kodiak bears killed by hunters has ranged from 77 (19 between 2000 and 2006, an average of 173 Kodiak bears were killed by hunters each year . over 75% of those were males . the number of large, trophy-sized bears killing hunters in recent years has bear-viewing is often considered a “nonconsumptive” use . it can have serious impacts on bear populations if not conducted properly . viewing occurs at places where bears congregate because of feeding opportunities unmanaged bear viewing could affect several bears, especially productive sows with cubs . ethical questions arise especially if hunting occurs near viewing areas . many feel it is not fair to encourage bears to be close to the Kodiak bear plan recognized bear hunting as a legitimate, traditional, and biologically justifiable activity . it recommended that agencies find ways to make bear hunting and bear viewing compatible on the archipelago .