Barren Ground Grizzly

Grizzly bears are the second largest carnivores after the polar bear and are recognizable from the large hump on their shoulders. The barren ground grizzly, found in the Kivalliq region and in large portions of the Kitikmeot and Baffin regions of Nunuvit, is generally smaller and lighter in colour than those found further south.Adult males and females can be anywhere between 146 and 382kg and measure an average of 2.6m in length. They are at their largest in the fall before entering their dens and leanest in the spring when they emerge from their dens.

Grizzlies are omnivorous. Some studies show that caribou are a very important food source for barren ground grizzlies. They appear to hunt them often during the spring, and from midsummer to autumn. 

The breeding season for grizzlies is generally late spring to early summer. In Nunavut, female grizzlies usually have their first litter at 8 years of age. Compared to other grizzly populations, this is quite late and makes barren ground grizzlies more sensitive to over-harvesting.