# Where Do Brown Bears Live?

> Where brown bears live: Forests, mountains, and tundra across the Northern Hemisphere, native range cues, and human overlap. Status Least Concern.

- **Species:** Brown Bear (*Ursus arctos*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Omnivore — berries, fish, roots, insects, and carrion
- **Habitat:** Forests, mountains, and tundra across the Northern Hemisphere
- **Lifespan:** 20–25 years in the wild (up to 35 in captivity)
- **Top speed:** Up to 56 km/h (35 mph) in short bursts
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/brown-bear/where-do-brown-bear-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/brown-bear/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The brown bear is one of the world's largest land carnivores, found across North America, Europe, and Asia. Adults typically weigh 130–360 kg (290–800 lb), run up to 56 km/h (35 mph), and hibernate through winter in dens. Coastal populations that feed heavily on salmon can grow much larger than inland grizzlies.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a sighting hotline. This page is native range and habitat.

## Diet and seasonal feeding

Brown bears are omnivores whose diet shifts with the seasons. In spring they graze on sedges and roots; summer brings berries and insects; autumn is dominated by hyperphagia as bears pack on fat before winter. Coastal bears gather at salmon runs, while inland populations rely more on plants and small mammals.

## Help protect the Brown Bear

Brown bears lose ground as forests are logged and fragmented, bringing them into conflict with farms and roads.

[Donate to protect habitat](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/habitats/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/brown-bear/where-do-brown-bear-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.