The largest bear on the planet is known as kodiak. It is one of the subspecies of brown bears and in most countries it is under state protection. In terms of its dimensions, this animal surpasses not only relatives, but even the “king of animals”. The weight of the average male is more than 700 kilograms, and females - about 300 kilograms. It should be noted that there were individuals of kodiak, the mass of which exceeded the mark of one ton. When answering the question about which bear is the largest, it is necessary to take into account the nuance that in summer these animals weigh about a third more than after hibernation. Be that as it may, there is no other terrestrial predator with such dimensions.
The animal has a compact and at the same time strong, muscular body with a short tail. His head is large, and his legs are long. The largest bear on the planet has dark brown hair, which in some individuals is almost black. Despite the fact that kodiak is considered a predator, it eats different foods. Most often, it becomes a salmon family fish that spawns in local shallow rivers. In addition, the animal often consumes nuts, berries and various roots. As for hunting for other animals, this happens only in exceptional cases.
By way of life, these animals are solitary and never form herds. Only in the breeding season, which falls in the summer, do pairs form. Kodiak female usually gives birth every four years, usually in winter, from one to three cubs. They stay with her until the age of four. The largest brown bear is considered an adult when he turns six years old. After weaning from their mother, the little males try to get away from her, while the females, on the contrary, tend to stay as close as possible. She, in turn, in case of danger always comes to the rescue. In this regard, the survival rate of cubs is 56 and 80 percent, respectively.
The habitat of the predator are the islands of the Kodiak archipelago on the southern coast of Alaska. The largest bear is the main local attraction and annually attracts a large number of tourists. Currently, there are approximately three thousand individuals of this animal on the planet, so the hunt for it is strictly limited by law. Kodiak shooting, which is a maximum of 160 individuals per year, is allowed.
In terms of size, only polar bears are almost the same as Kodiaks. From their brown relatives they differ only in the place of residence and the color of the fur. Moreover, this species tolerates severe frosts better, and the structure of their paws allows you to run faster on ice. The animal lives on the islands of the Arctic. Often the title "largest bear" is given to him. The predator feeds mainly on ringed seals, seals and fish, which it can catch with its scent at a distance of up to six hundred meters. The animal swims perfectly and can cover a distance of five hundred kilometers in a few days. Currently, about 27 thousand individuals of this animal remain on the planet, and hunting for it is strictly limited.
