Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis)

Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae

Listing Status:  (and others listed below)

General Information

Grizzly Bears reach weights of 180-680 kg (400-1,500 lb); the male is on average 1.8 times as heavy as the female, an example of sexual dimorphism. Their coloring ranges widely across geographic areas, from blond to deep brown or black. These differences, once attributed to subspeciation, are now thought to be primarily due to the different environments these bears inhabit, particularly with regard to diet and temperature. The Grizzly has a large hump over the shoulders which is a muscle mass used to power the forelimbs in digging. The head is large and round with a concave facial profile. In spite of their massive size, these bears can run at speeds of up to 55 km/h (35 mph).

Population detail

The FWS is currently monitoring the following populations of the Grizzly bear 

Map of Species occurrence

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Map Image Map of Species occurrence Map of Species occurrence
Map of Species occurrence Map of Species occurrence
Map of Species occurrence Map of Species occurrence
Map of Species occurrence Map of Species occurrence
Map of Species occurrence Map of Species occurrence
Map of Species occurrence Map of Species occurrence

This map represents our best available information about where a species is currently known to or or is believed to occur; however, it should NOT be used as an official species list for Section 7 Consultation purposes. To obtain an official species list for this purpose, please visit the Information, Planning, and Conservation (IPaC) System (click here: http://ecos.fws.gov/ipac)

  • Population location: U.S.A., conterminous (lower 48) States, except where listed as an experimental population or delisted
    Listing status:  Threatened
  • Population location: U.S.A. (portions of ID and MT, see 17.84(l))
    Listing status:  Experimental Population, Non-Essential
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to or is believed to occur:  Idaho , Montana
    • US Counties in which this population is known to or is believed to occur:  View All
    • USFWS Refuges in which this population is known to occur:  BENTON LAKE WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, NINE-PIPE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, SWAN RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
    • For more information:  http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/species/mammals/grizzly/
  • Population location: Selkirk Recovery Zone Population
    Listing status:  Under Review
  • Population location: Cabinet-Yaak Recovery Zone Population
    Listing status:  Under Review
  • Population location: North Cascades Ecosystem Recovery Zone Population
    Listing status:  Under Review
  • Population location: Alaska
    Listing status:  Status Undefined
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to or is believed to occur:  Alaska
    • US Counties in which this population is known to or is believed to occur:  View All
Current Listing Status Summary
Status Date Listed Lead Region Where Listed
03/11/1967 Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6) lower 48 States, except where listed as an experimental population or delisted
11/17/2000 Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6) U.S.A. (portions of ID and MT, see 17.84(l))
Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6) Selkirk Recovery Zone Population
Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6) Cabinet-Yaak Recovery Zone Population
Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6) North Cascades Ecosystem Recovery Zone Population
(Region ) Alaska

» Candidate Information

Current Candidate Status

Population Listing Priority Magnitude Immediacy Taxonomy Species Assessment
U.S.A., conterminous (lower 48) States, except where listed as an experimental population or delisted

» Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents (Showing 5 of 59: view all)
Date Citation Page Title
05/03/2013 78 FR 26064 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Conservation Strategy for the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem Grizzly Bear
03/22/2013 78 FR 17708 17709 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Revised Supplement to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan
10/26/2011 76 FR 66370 66439 Review of Native Species That Are Candidates for Listing as Endangered or Threatened; Annual Notice of Findings on Resubmitted Petitions; Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions
11/10/2010 75 FR 69222 69294 Review of Native Species That Are Candidates for Listing as Endangered or Threatened; Annual Notice of Findings on Resubmitted Petitions; Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions; Proposed Rule
03/26/2010 75 FR 14496 14498 Reinstatement of Protections for the Grizzly Bear in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in Compliance With Court Order
Most Recent Special Rule Publications (Showing 5 of 7: view all)
Date Citation Page Title
06/22/2001 66 FR 33620 33622 ETWP; Establishment of a Nonessential Experimental Population of Grizzly Bears in the Bitterroot Area of Idaho and Montana; Removal of Regulations
11/17/2000 65 FR 69624 69643 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Establishment of a Nonessential Experimental Population of Grizzly Bears in the Bitterroot Area of Idaho and Montana
10/17/1989 54 FR 42524 42528 ETWP; Proposed Revision of Special Regulations for the Grizzly Bear; 54 FR 42524 42528
09/23/1986 51 FR 33753 33760 Revision of Special Regulations for Grizzly Bear; 51 FR 33753-33760
07/17/1986 51 FR 25914 25919 Proposed Revision of Special Regulations for Grizzly Bear; 51 FR 25914- 25919

» Recovery

Recovery Plan Information Search
Current Recovery Plan(s)
Date Title Plan Action Status Plan Status
09/10/1993 Revised Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan View Implementation Progress Final Revision 1
02/19/2013 Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan Draft Revised Supplement: Revised Demographic Recovery Criteria for the Yellowstone Ecosystem View Implementation Progress Final Revision 1
05/03/2013 Draft Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy View Implementation Progress Final Revision 1
06/23/1997 Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan Supplement: North Cascades Ecosystem Recovery Plan Chapter View Implementation Progress Final Revision 1
09/11/1996 Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan Supplement: Bitterroot Ecosystem Recovery Plan Chapter View Implementation Progress Final Revision 1
03/13/2007 Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan Supplement: Revised Demographic Recovery Criteria for the Yellowstone Ecosystem View Implementation Progress Final Revision 1
05/03/2013 Draft Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy Appendices View Implementation Progress Final Revision 1
03/13/2007 Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan Supplement: Habitat-based Recovery Criteria for the Yellowstone Ecosystem View Implementation Progress Final Revision 1
Other Recovery Documents (Showing 5 of 10: view all)
Date Citation Page Title Document Type
03/22/2013 78 FR 17708 17709 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Revised Supplement to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan
  • Notice Draft Recovery Plan Availability
    • 04/18/2007 72 FR 19549 19551 Initiation of 5-Year Reviews of Seven Wildlife Species and Two Plant Species in the Mountain-Prairie Region
  • Notice 5-year Review, Initiation
    • 03/29/2007 72 FR 14866 14938 Final Rule Designating the Greater Yellowstone Area Population of Grizzly Bears as a Distinct Population Segment; Removing the Yellowstone Distinct Population Segment of Grizzly Bears From the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife; 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List as Endangered the Yellowstone Distinct Population Segment of Grizzly Bears
  • Final Delisting, Recovered
  • Final Listing, Threatened
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Not substantial
    • 03/13/2007 72 FR 11376 11377 Supplements to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan
  • Notice Recovery Plan Avail.
    • 03/13/2007 72 FR 11376 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Conservation Strategy for the Grizzly Bear in the Greater Yellowstone Area
  • Notice Doc. Availability
  • Notice Doc. Availability, Post Delisting Monitoring Plan
    • Five Year Review
    Date Title
    09/06/2011 Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) 5-Year Review

    » Critical Habitat

    Current Critical Habitat Documents (Showing 1 of 1)
    Date Citation Page Title Document Type Status
    11/05/1976 41 FR 48757 48759 Proposed Determination of Critical Habitat for Grizzly Bear; 41 FR 48757 48759 (Ursus arctos horribilis) Proposed Rule Not Required

    To learn more about critical habitat please see http://criticalhabitat.fws.gov

    » Conservation Plans

    Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP) (learn more) (Showing 5 of 6: view all)
    HCP Plan Summaries
    Cedar River Watershed HCP
    City of Tacoma, Tacoma Water HCP
    Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Lands
    Plum Creek Timber I-90 HCP
    Plum Creek Timber I-90 Land Exchange
    Candidate Conservation Agreements (CCA): (learn more) (Showing 1 of 1)
    CCA Plan Summaries
    Swan Valley

    » Petitions

    Most Recent Petition Findings (Showing 5 of 14: view all)
    Date Citation Page Title Finding
    10/26/2011 76 FR 66370 66439 Review of Native Species That Are Candidates for Listing as Endangered or Threatened; Annual Notice of Findings on Resubmitted Petitions; Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions
  • Notice 12 month petition finding, Warranted but precluded
    • 03/29/2007 72 FR 14866 14938 Final Rule Designating the Greater Yellowstone Area Population of Grizzly Bears as a Distinct Population Segment; Removing the Yellowstone Distinct Population Segment of Grizzly Bears From the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife; 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List as Endangered the Yellowstone Distinct Population Segment of Grizzly Bears
  • Final Delisting, Recovered
  • Final Listing, Threatened
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Not substantial
    • 05/17/1999 64 FR 26735 26733 12-month Finding on Petitions To Change the Status of Grizzly Bear Populations in the Selkirk Area in Idaho and Washington and the Cabinet-Yaak Area of Montana and Idaho From Threatened to Endangered
  • Notice 12 month petition finding, Warranted but precluded
    • 06/04/1998 63 FR 30453 30455 Finding on Petitions To Change the Status of Grizzly Bear Populations in the North Cascades Area of Washington and the Cabinet-Yaak Area of Montana and Idaho From Threatened to Endangered
  • Notice 12 month petition finding, Warranted but precluded
    • 09/09/1994 59 FR 46611 46612 ETWP; Notice of Finding on a Petition To Change the Status of the Grizzley Bear Population in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem From Threatened To Recovered
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Not substantial

    • » Life History

    No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.

    » Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

    Last updated: May 23, 2013