![]() ![]() Although the current population is healthy and productive, and has shown no overt adverse signs of inbreeding, it may be more susceptible to new diseases or parasites than other, more diverse brown bear populations. Kodiak bears have been genetically isolated since at least the last ice age (10,000 to 12,000 years ago) and very little genetic diversity exists within the population. Genetic samples from bears on Kodiak have shown that they are related to brown bears on the Alaska Peninsula and Kamchatka, Russia, and all brown bears roughly north of the US. Subsequent taxonomic work merged all North American brown bears into a single species ( Ursus arctos). Merriam was first to recognize the Kodiak bear as a unique subspecies of the brown bear, and he named it " Ursus middendorffi" in honor of the celebrated Baltic naturalist, Dr. Kodiak Archipelago Bear Conservation and Management Plan.Guided hunters and competition for resources.As a result, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, along with, to a lesser extent, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, closely monitors the number of bears hunted in the state. ![]() However, the IUCN does not differentiate between subspecies therefore, it is unknown whether the Kodiak bear population is as healthy as is stated. The IUCN classifies Ursus arctos, the species to which the Kodiak belongs, as being of "least concern" in terms of endangerment or extinction. More recently, as conservation efforts have increased, concerns over the sustenance and stability of the Kodiak bear population have arisen. Such encounters have included the hunting of bears by humans for their fur or meat, and, less commonly, attacks by bears upon humans. Today, these encounters have become more common as a result of the increase in human population in the region. Despite this large variation in size, the diet and lifestyle of the Kodiak bear do not differ greatly from those of other brown bears.Įncounters between humans and Kodiak bears have been infrequent since ancient times. The Kodiak bear, on the other hand, commonly reaches sizes of 300 to 600 kg (660 to 1,320 lb), and has even been known to exceed a weight of 680 kg (1,500 lb). While there is generally much variation in size between brown bears in different areas, most usually weigh between 115 and 360 kg (254 and 794 lb). californicus), with the main difference being size. Physiologically, the Kodiak bear is very similar to the other brown bear subspecies, such as the mainland grizzly bear ( Ursus arctos horribilis) and the now-extinct California grizzly bear ( U. It is the largest recognized subspecies or population of the brown bear, and one of the two largest bears alive today, the other being the polar bear. 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.
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