Alaskan Brown Bear
Alaskan Brown Bear
Forests
ABout Alaskan Brown Bear

DESPITE THEIR NAME, ALASKAN BROWN BEARS VARY IN COLOR AND CAN BE DISTINGUISHED FROM OTHER BEAR SPECIES BY A LARGE HUMP OF MUSCLE MASS BETWEEN THEIR SHOULDERS.

Mother bears give birth to cubs, typically twins, while still in their winter dens. The cubs stay with their mothers for over two years, growing in size and learning how to find food. A powerful sense of smell is important adaptation that helps bears locate food. Bears have been known to smell food from up to a mile away.

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FACTS & STATISTICS
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Average Size
5 to 8 feet in length,
Up to 1,500 pounds
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Native Region
Coastal Alaska
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Eating Habits
Nuts, berries, fruit, leaves, roots, fish, and larger game
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Conservation Status
Least Concern
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Come see for yourself.

Look no further. Connect with our amazing animals and learn about the wild places they come from.

Where are they at the Zoo?
The Alaskan Brown Bears are located in the Forest Exhibit
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Additional Experiences
Alaskan Brown Bear Chat
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Alaskan Brown Bear Chat

Join our Alaskan brown bears for an afternoon snack during our Bear Chat! Learn from our animal experts all about the role food plays in the lives of bears and how we can improve our relationship with bears in the wild. This is the best time of day to see our two playful bears active and foraging.

Conservation Efforts for Alaskan Brown Bear

What Can You Do?

Everyone has the power to help save wild things and wild places. That power is your individual voice, your awareness and your actions. So in addition to visiting the Zoo and meeting our animal ambassadors, here are a few simple suggestions that will help save their counterparts in the wild:

  • When you go camping, secure all of your food and trash items to avoid attracting bears and other wildlife into campsites.
  • Follow the Leave No Trace principles whenever you’re spending time in nature.
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Sponsor a Bear

The Animal Amigo program helps care for all of the animals at the Zoo by funding food, medical treatment, equipment, enrichment toys, and habitat improvement for the animals in our care. For a donation of $100 or more, you can sponsor a brown bear at the Indianapolis Zoo. You will receive a plush, collector card, certificate and recognition on the Animal Amigo donor board!

Learn More
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Come see for yourself.

Look no further. Connect with our amazing animals and learn about the wild places they come from.