Current estimates place park bear populations near 1700. Bear life spans average 12 years. A typical male weighs 300 pounds, while females average 230 pounds. Bears, like humans, are omnivores. They obtain most of their protein from insects, but occasionally eat fish, fawns, or other small animals.
Most bears enter a deep sleep starting in late fall.
Cubs are born in January. Bear sightings usually begin in early March, but weather conditions can delay this. Newborns and mothers remain denned until May. Cubs remain with their mothers for a year and a half. It is illegal to feed or harass any Park wildlife. They die from asphyxiation or digestive track blockages.