In 1975, the grizzly bear was listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. There are now about 58,000 grizzly bears left on the North American continent. More than half of them live in Alaska. The rest live in Canada and scattered areas in the U.S. Northwest. Threats to grizzly bears include destruction of habitat and interference from humans who feel they need to protect livestock and human life.
Grizzlies feed on green vegetation, wild fruits, insects, carrion, and small mammals.
Bears along the western coast depend heavily on salmon, which are also threatened. The bears have a slow reproductive rate, which makes it hard for the population to rebound. Here are summaries of news stories about North American grizzly bears. Each story presents its own educational problem. Grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming are being threatened by rapid development in the area.