Brown Bear
Brown BearBrown BearBrown BearBrown Bear

Brown Bear

Ursus arctos

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
50–60% · Likely
overall probability at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
50 Verified records at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
October 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 →

50–60% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Bear sighting in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, based on 50 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

American Black Bear
LC Endemic

American Black Bear

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ursus americanus

30–40% · Possible
Harbor Seal
LC

Harbor Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phoca vitulina

40–50% · Likely
Sea Otter
EN

Sea Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Enhydra lutris

20–30% · Possible
Northern Sea Lion
NT

Northern Sea Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Eumetopias jubatus

20–30% · Possible
Gray Wolf
LC Endemic

Gray Wolf

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Canis lupus

10–20% · With luck
Canada Lynx
LC

Canada Lynx

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lynx canadensis

10–20% · With luck
Wolverine
LC

Wolverine

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Gulo gulo

10–20% · With luck
Coyote
LC Endemic

Coyote

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Canis latrans

Insufficient data
Northern River Otter
LC Endemic

Northern River Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lontra canadensis

Insufficient data
Northern Fur Seal
VU

Northern Fur Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Callorhinus ursinus

Insufficient data
Red Fox
LC Endemic

Red Fox

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Vulpes vulpes

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
40–50
Feb
30–40
Mar
50–60
Apr
30–40
May
60–70
Jun
50–60
Jul
50–60
Aug
50–60
Sep
70–80
Oct
50–60
Nov
40–50
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 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park?

About 52% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Bear sighting in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, based on 50 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Brown Bear in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for Brown Bear in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in our monthly data.

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