Where Do You Need To Be Bear Aware?
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At BearSaver, we’ve been developing bear-proof trash cans, recycle bins, and other enclosures for more than a decade to help people – and bears – stay safe in Bear Country. But we realize that not everyone may understand exactly where Bear Country is. We think it’s vitally important to understand the types of bears you’ll encounter in North America and where they are most commonly found. After all, you can’t keep yourself protected from bears unless you know where to find them. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the most common bears in Bear Country and where they live. As we like to say, always be Bear Aware!
Main species of bears in North America
The Bear Family has eight main species, but only three of them are prevalent in North America. These include American Black Bears (Ursus americanus), Brown/Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos), and Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus). American Black Bears are the most widespread and numerous bears in North America, but the Brown/Grizzly bear has the most widespread distribution in the world. And did you know that Polar Bears are found in all the polar regions of the entire northern hemisphere? As you can see, there are lots of bears out there!
Where you’ll find American Black Bears
The American Black Bear is the smallest of the bears you’ll find in North America – but it’s also the most widely distributed. There are currently between 400,000 - 750,000 American Black Bears in North America. They can be found in most of the United States (32 states to be exact), parts of Mexico, and all of Canada (except Prince Edward Island). They’re found in a wide variety of habitats but typically live in forested areas and mountainous terrain. They can occasionally be found in open areas. Click here for a map of their current distribution in North America.
Where you’ll find Brown/Grizzly Bears
Brown/Grizzly Bears have the widest distribution in the world of any bear species. However, there are currently only between 125,000 and 150,000 of these bears in the world today. In North America, it’s estimated there are about 55,000 Brown/Grizzly Bears. About 25,000 of these bears live in western Canada and 30,000 live in the United States. Most of the Brown/Grizzly Bears in the U.S. live in Alaska, but you’ll also find small populations in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Washington. They typically live in forests, mountains, meadows, valleys, and coastal regions. Click here for a map of their current distribution in North America.
Where you’ll find Polar Bears
Polar bears are the largest of the eight species of bears. They are found in the Arctic and areas surrounding the Arctic. Their current world population is estimated between 20,000 and 40,000, with about 15,000 residing in the Canadian arctic archipelago and the Hudson Bay-James Bay region. They are most often found where the northern seas meet the shoreline
Contact BearSaver today
Would you like to learn more about how BearSaver products can help you be safe in Bear Country? Then contact us at 800-851-3887 or sales@bearsaver.com. BearSaver is the largest bear-proof container supplier in the world, and we ship our products to every bear-habituated state and province in North America!