The biggest bear in the world is the Kodiak (Ursus arctos middendorffi) – a subspecies of the brown bear. This name these giants received from the only place where they can be found – Kodiak archipelago off the southern coast of Alaska. Evolutionarily they separated from other species of bears, such as the grizzly bear, about 10-12 thousand years ago, during the last ice age. With the onset of global warming and sea level rise, Kodiak bears were isolated and live only on the islands of the Kodiak archipelago.
These bears were able to become much larger in size, due to the fact that they do not have any natural enemies and competitors within their habitat, and unhindered access to food resources allowed them to thrive. However, due to the cold climate of Alaska, hibernation has become a necessary part of their survival.
Also, the limited distribution area of their distribution affected the high susceptibility of these bears to various diseases and parasite problems, rather than to any other species of brown bears.
Kodiak is not only the biggest bear, but also one of the largest land predators in the world. Certainly, the unexpected meeting with him in the wild is not what most people are ready for. Males can grow up to 3 meters in length and weigh from 200 to 800 kilograms. Standing on four paws the average bear reaches 1.8-2 m at the withers! The average weight of the Kodiak is about 400-500 kg. Female less than about 20%, but still very large in size, with an average weight of 250-300 kg.
