🌿Native Nature

Brown Bear

Ursus arctos

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia ›Phylum: Chordata ›Class: Mammalia ›Order: Carnivora ›Family: Ursidae ›Genus: Ursus

About

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is the most widely distributed bear and is found across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It is one of the largest living terrestrial members of the order Carnivora, rivaled in body size only by its close cousin, the polar bear (Ursus maritimus), which is much less variable in size and slightly larger on average.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the scientific name of Brown Bear?
The scientific name of Brown Bear is Ursus arctos.
What is the conservation status of Brown Bear?
The Brown Bear has a conservation status of Least Concern.
What kingdom does Brown Bear belong to?
Brown Bear belongs to the kingdom Animalia.
What phylum does Brown Bear belong to?
Brown Bear belongs to the phylum Chordata.
What class does Brown Bear belong to?
Brown Bear belongs to the class Mammalia.
What order does Brown Bear belong to?
Brown Bear belongs to the order Carnivora.
What family does Brown Bear belong to?
Brown Bear belongs to the family Ursidae.
What genus does Brown Bear belong to?
Brown Bear belongs to the genus Ursus.

In the News

Meet 'Backpack', the chunky bear who won Fat Bear Week

The brown bear, described by one supporter as having both the "chonk and the badonk", will shortly enter hibernation, which can last up to six months.

BBC Science & Environment · 9/30/2026

Fat Bear Week opens for Alaska’s heavyweight crown. Can Chunk, the 1,200-pound champ, win again?

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — After a summer spent packing away sockeye salmon, Alaska’s heftiest brown bears are ready to throw their weight around. Online voting began Tuesday for Fat Bear Week, the annual contest that pits the rotund residents of Katmai National Park and Preserve against each other for the title of most oversized ursine. […]

Mongabay · 9/22/2026

Fat Bear Week has returned – and the salmon are swimming for their lives

The public will, for the 12th year in a row, vote for the fattest of brown bears in Alaska’s Katmai national park The bears have returned to the river and are packing on the pounds as another Fat Bear Week begins at Katmai national park. The 12th annual Fat Bear Week, in which the public will vote for the fattest of Katmai’s brown bears as mothers, cubs and males gather along the salmon-run at Brooks river in Alaska begins on Monday. Continue reading...

The Guardian Environment · 9/18/2026

Gorging on bearcam: the livestream of big beasts eating that draws millions

Ahead of Fat Bear Week, avid fans are glued to the spectacle of brown bears devouring salmon at Brooks Falls in Alaska One of this summer’s biggest onscreen hits has had big beasts, great escapes and choppy waters, but it’s not Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey – it’s a livestream of Alaskan brown bears catching salmon. The Brooks Falls bearcam at Katmai national park in the US was watched 7.3m times between 22 June and 4 August – up 70% from the same period last year and more than double the views it attracted in 2024. Continue reading...

The Guardian Environment · 8/16/2026

Sacred places & living lands: How Indigenous Sámi peoples steward biodiversity (analysis)

Modern conservation is often traced to the establishment of Yellowstone National Park in the U.S. in 1872. In Sweden, a similar milestone came with the founding of Sarek National Park in 1909, partly intended to protect the endangered brown bear of the far north. Yet, long before states established national parks and environmental agencies, people […]

Mongabay · 8/7/2026