Grizzly bears are also called brown bears, and are found throughout the Preserve. Brown bears are most common in the mountains north of Nome and the population in the Preserve is fairly small. There are no black bears in or near the Preserve. Bears are actively hunted throughout the region and tend to be shy around people. Most visitors to the region will never see a bear.
Grizzlies are omnivorous.
Their diet varies by the season and includes grasses, roots, berries, nuts, insects, fish, rodents, and sometimes small and large mammals. Brown bears on the Seward Peninsula don't depend a lot on salmon like they do in other areas of the state because salmon runs here are often small and salmon streams are few. Brown bears can conceal themselves remarkably well in the low brush along hill sides. Although they will normally not attack a human, they will defend their young or their food if approached too closely. They have an excellent sense of smell, good hearing, and are extremely powerful.