Brown Bear
Brown BearBrown BearBrown BearBrown Bear

Brown Bear

Ursus arctos

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Glacier National Park
270 Verified records at Glacier National Park
September Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's active at dawn and dusk

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is a large bear native to Eurasia and North America. Of the land carnivorans, it is rivaled in size only by its closest relative, the polar bear, which is much less variable in size and slightly bigger on average. The brown bear is a sexually dimorphic species, as adult males are larger and more compactly built than females. The fur ranges in color from cream to reddish to dark brown. It has evolved large hump muscles, unique among bears, and paws up to 21 cm (8.3 in) wide and 36 cm (14 in) long, to effectively dig through dirt. Its teeth are similar to those of other bears and reflect its dietary plasticity. Wikipedia →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Bear sighting in Glacier National Park, based on 270 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Glacier National Park

American Black Bear
LC Endemic

American Black Bear

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ursus americanus

50–60% · Likely
Red Fox
LC Endemic

Red Fox

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Vulpes vulpes

20–30% · Possible
Coyote
LC Endemic

Coyote

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Canis latrans

10–20% · With luck
American Marten
LC Endemic

American Marten

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Martes americana

5–10% · With luck
🐒 No photo available
LC

Striped Skunk

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Mephitis mephitis

5–10% · With luck
Mountain Lion
LC

Mountain Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Puma concolor

5–10% · Rare
Canada Lynx
LC

Canada Lynx

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lynx canadensis

5–10% · Rare
Common Raccoon
LC Endemic

Common Raccoon

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Procyon lotor

<5% · Rare
Wolverine
LC

Wolverine

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Gulo gulo

<5% · Rare
Gray Wolf
LC Endemic

Gray Wolf

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Canis lupus

<5% · Rare
Stoat
LC Endemic

Stoat

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Mustela erminea

<5% · Rare
Northern River Otter
LC Endemic

Northern River Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lontra canadensis

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
10–20
Feb
20–30
Mar
5–10
Apr
40–50
May
50–60
Jun
40–50
Jul
40–50
Aug
50–60
Sep
40–50
Oct
10–20
Nov
10–20
Dec

🌅 When They're Spotted

Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)

🌅Crepuscular
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
90–100%
2 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
60–70%
3 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
50–60%
4 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
50–60%
5 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
50–60%
6 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
7 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
8 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
40–50%
9 Tatra National Park 🇸🇰 Slovakia
30–40%
10 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
11 Gates of the Arctic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
12 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
13 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
14 Gauja National Park 🇱🇻 Latvia
20–30%
15 Picos de Europa National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
10–20%
16 Aigüestortes National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
5–10%
17 Triglav National Park 🇸🇮 Slovenia
5–10%
18 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%
19 Nahanni National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Brown Bear in Glacier National Park?

About 45% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Bear sighting in Glacier National Park, based on 270 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Brown Bear in Glacier National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Brown Bear in Glacier National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Glacier National Park