grizzly bear • AZA Nutrition Advisory Group

Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) Diet Management: Seasonal Diets to Attain Healthy Weight

Grizzly bears (Ursus Arctos) are specially adapted to survive the changing seasons of northern latitudes through changes in metabolism and behavior: In the zoo environment, these adaptations make weight management a challenge (Watts, 2009). Wild bears pack on the pounds during warm months to ensure they can survive the winter’s harsh weather and scarcity of food – losing as much...

Comparative Nutrition of Grizzly and Black Bears

The basic nutrition of North American bears is poorly understood because most research has been limited to field studies describing natural history and a few projects focusing on hibernation in captive animals. The facilities necessary for extensive nutrition research with captive bears have been lacking, but in 1986 Washington State University, the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S....