Grizzly bears are omnivores, and a very small percentage of their diet is actually meat. An adult grizzly needs to consume about 30,000 calories a day (compared to 2,500 calories for an average man) and it will often feast on berries, fish and carrion (dead critters) – but what else does a grizzly bear eat?
1. Sedge grass: In the spring, grizzlies that live near the coast eat a ton of sedge grass – up to 30 kg per day – to rebuild the weight they lost over the winter. Sedge grass can be 25% protein and grows in coastal meadows that flood with sea water.
2. Moths: Not just one or two pesky moths – one grizzly can consume 40,000 moths PER DAY! Scientists have studied grizzly bears migrating to barren, rocky highlands in Waterton, Banff, Glacier, and Yellowstone, following the migration of army cutworm moths. The bears will spend days turning over rocks to uncover thousands of moths whose bodies are mostly fat and a perfect food to help the grizzly pack on the pounds for hibernation.
3. Roots, lily bulbs, skunk cabbage: A distinctive feature of the grizzly bear is the hump over its shoulders. These are powerful muscles that the bear uses to dig up all kinds of yummy things.
This mother grizzly is showing her cubs how to dig for clams.
4. Ants, beetles, larvae: Smashed logs and churned up ant hills are evidence of a hungry grizzly.
5. Bears: Yup, grizzlies eat other bears. They are very territorial and will kill other grizzlies, black bears and cubs. And then eat them.
A mother grizzly must always be watchful to protect her cubs.
