The largest bear on the planet is known as the Kodiak. It is one of the subspecies of brown bears and is under state protection in most countries. In terms of its dimensions, this animal surpasses not only relatives, but even the “king of beasts”. The weight of an average male is more than 700 kilograms, and females - about 300 kilograms. At the same time, it should be noted that there were individuals of Kodiak, the mass of which exceeded the mark of one ton. When answering the question of which bear is the largest, one must take into account the nuance that in summer these animals weigh about a third more than after hibernation. Whatever it was, there is no other land predator with such dimensions.
The animal has a compact and at the same time strong, muscular body with a short tail. It has a large head and long legs. The largest bear on the planet has a dark brown coat, which in some individuals is almost black. Despite the fact that the Kodiak is considered a predator, it eats a variety of foods. Most often it becomes a fish of the salmon family,coming to spawn in local shallow rivers. In addition, the animal often consumes nuts, berries and various roots. As for hunting other animals, this happens only in exceptional cases.
By way of life, these animals are loners and never form herds. Only during the breeding season, which falls in the summer, pairs are formed. The female Kodiak usually gives birth every four years, usually in winter, from one to three cubs. They stay with her until the age of four. The largest brown bear is considered an adult when it is six years old. After weaning from their mother, small males try to get away from her, while females, on the contrary, tend to stay as close as possible. She, in turn, in case of danger, always comes to the rescue. As a result, cub survival rates are 56 percent and 80 percent, respectively.
The habitat of the predator is the islands of the Kodiak archipelago on the southern coast of Alaska. The largest bear is the main local attraction and attracts a large number of tourists every year. Currently, there are about three thousand individuals of this animal on the planet, so hunting for it is strictly limited by law. A maximum of 160 Kodiaks per year are allowed.
Only polar bears are almost as big as Kodiak bears. They differ from their brown relatives only in their place of residence andfur color. Moreover, this species tolerates severe frosts better, and the structure of their paws allows them to run faster on ice. The animal lives on the islands of the Arctic. Often the title of "the largest bear" is given to him. The predator feeds mainly on ringed seals, seals and fish, which it can catch with its scent at a distance of up to six hundred meters. The animal is an excellent swimmer and can cover a distance of five hundred kilometers in a few days. Currently, there are approximately 27 thousand individuals of this animal left on the planet, and hunting for it is strictly limited.
