In reply to:

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Gentelmen, the State of Alaska considers the Inland Grizzly, and the coastal Brown bear as one species,for licenseing, and as HUNT375 says, the main difference is size. However, for trophy considerations the Caostal Brown Bear Bear is the Bear found from the coast, to 50 miles inland, and the bears found out side that coastal strip are called inland grizzlies, or tundra grizzlies. The inland grizzly is far more aggressive, than the Coastal brown Bear. The reason being, the inland grizzly has to cover a approximetly 100 sq mile terratory to make a liveing, while the Caostal Brown, has a much more steady and plentiful food supply. The Brown's diet of very high protene rich Salmon, accounts for his much larger size, and his lack of aggression in mastering his range. He has simply to move to the next stream.

Either one of these bears is a danger to man, if he gets too close, or surprises him in the thick alders. If the bears has an opening when he sees a man at any distance, he will move away!

As far as the large bears are concearned, the polar is far more dangerous that any other bear. The polar is the only animal in North America that will actually stalk man for food. Because of his habitate, he considers anything that moves on the ice to be food. Though he is smaller than the Coastal Brown, he is more of a true danger to man in his habitate!

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The location in determining Brown Bears vs. Grizzly Bears seems to be a moving target. In the past that line has moved from the curve of the Alaska Range to 150 miles inland to whatever it is now. Middendorfi was originally differeniated to describe the bears on Kodiak Island, but has since morphed into the "Brown Bear" classification. I'm not sure B&C concurs with SCI's breakdown of the location, but suspect they would. There has been a lag time for B&C in the past to accept SCI's definition.

I'm not sure I would accept the idea that inland grizzlies are more aggressive to humans that Browns. I think a lot depends on location. The bears on Montague or Hinchinbrook Islands are notorious for their aggression, while those at Katmai are more accepting of human intrusion. In my opinion, the individual bear is wild card and generalizations about aggression can be misleading.

I also disagree that the Polar bear is the only one that will stalk a man for food (or any other reason). This isn't the case and there are documented instances where black, browns, and grizzlies have stalked humans for food. Again, it seems to be more up to the individual bear than any specie or location generalization.

Bears are bears and should never be taken lightly.

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