The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is a large bear species found across Eurasia and North America. [1] [2] In North America, the populations of brown bears are called grizzly bears. It is one of the largest living terrestrial members of the order Carnivora, rivaled in size only by its closest relative, the polar bear (Ursus maritimus), which is much less variable in size and slightly bigger on average. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] The brown bear's range includes parts of Russia, Central Asia, China, Canada, the United States, Hokkaido, Scandinavia, the Balkans, the Picos de Europa and the Carpathian region (especially Romania and Bulgaria), Iran, Anatolia, and the Caucasus. [1] [8] The brown bear is recognized as a national and state animal in several European countries. [9]
