Three species of bears  inhabit the United States and Canada. They are the American black bear, the grizzly bear or brown bear and the polar bear.

The American black bear (Ursus americanus)  is the most numerous bear found in North America.  Despite their name, black bears are not necessarily black. Their fur  can range in color from  near white or blond to various shades of brown as well as dark black or even blue black in color. American black bears are the smallest and the least aggressive of the three species. They have distinct physical characteristics  that distinguish them from the less numerous but more aggressive grizzly or brown bear. The black bear population is considered to be  relatively stable in  the US and Canada and may be as high as one million. The only geographic area in which the black bear is considered endangered is Mexico.

In contrast, the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) is larger and  more aggressive than the black bear.  Due to their larger size, they tend to protect their territory as opposed to black bears who may escape danger by climbing trees. Since brown bears have an extremely low reproductive rate, it is thought that their more aggressive behavior increases the survival potential of their young. Indeed many attacks on humans  are  in response to grizzlies protecting their cubs.  The name grizzly was originally used as a descriptive term referring to the texture of the bear's fur compared to the smoother  appearance of the American black bear's coat.

It is estimated that approximately 55,000 brown bears inhabit the United States and Canada and the bear has become extinct in Mexico. Due to these circumstances and their ecological role, grizzly conservation has become increasingly important.

The polar bear (Ursus maritmus) is the largest of the three species of bears inhabiting North America and is primarily found around the Arctic Circle and adjacent land masses. Although the polar bear is the largest terrestrial carnivore, it spends much of its time at sea. Because of its remote population habitats, accurate population numbers are less predictable then those of other bear species. Despite this challenge, it is thought that  the global population of polar bears is in the range of 20 to 25,000 and is declining. One factor leading to this decline is thought to be climate change which may ultimately lead to habitat loss, starvation and death.

Unfortunately, there are no images of polar bears in this trailhead gallery but we hope to obtain some in future expeditions.