Roger and Pat de la Harpe Photography and Africa Imagery Photo Library

Brown or Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos) (usually called Grizzly bears in the USA) are one of two of the largest Carnivorans (meat eating animals) in the world, the largest being their cousins, the polar bears. While the size and mass of brown bears is hugely variable their head and body length can measure up to about 2,8m, with a shoulder height of some 1,55m. A large male can weigh as much as 550kg.

There are about 200 000 brown bears in the world, the biggest populations being in Russia, followed by the USA and Canada. They are able to live in a variety of altitudinal habitats and have been recorded at sea level and as high as 5 000m. They seem to prefer semi-open areas with some cover.

Brown bears have one of the largest brains of any extant carnivoran when compared to  body size and while they are mostly solitary, they do gather in large numbers at major food sources and establish social hierarchies based on age and size.

Their mating season is from about mid May to early July and females give birth during hibernation to as many as 6 cubs, but usually to between 1 and 3. The cubs remain with their mother for some 2.5 years. Males take no part in rearing the cubs.

We photographed these bears in Alaska using Panasonic GH5 cameras and (mainly) the Leica 100 - 400mm lens and the Panasonic 100 - 300mm lens.