Grizzly bears are one of the largest land predators in North America. They are distinguishable by their brown fur and distinctive shoulder hump.
Grizzlies can weigh up to 800 pounds (360 kg), but the average adult male weighs about 500-600 pounds (225-270 kg).
They’re also very long. But how tall are they? And how tall are grizzly bears when standing on their hind legs?
In this article, we’ll discuss how big grizzly bears are, how tall they are on all four and when standing up, as well as how they compare to other bears.
Grizzly bears are about 3.3-5 feet tall when standing on all four legs, but can reach up to 10 feet when standing on their hind legs.
How Tall Is a Grizzly Bear Standing on All Four?
The average height for grizzly bears is 3.35 feet (102 cm) when standing on all four, but they can get as big as 4.9 feet (1.5 meters).
Grizzly bears are among the largest bear species. They’re taller than black bears, which are the other type of bears found in North America.
When standing on all four legs, they’ll typically be between 3.35-4.9 feet tall at their shoulders.
How Tall Is a Grizzly Bear Standing Up?
Grizzly bears can reach up to 10 feet (3 meters) when standing on their hind legs, while the average grizzly bear reaches about 8 feet tall (2.44 meters).
Grizzly bears are one of the largest predators in the world[1]. They can weigh up to 800 pounds and measure up to 10 feet tall when standing on their hind legs.
While they typically roam around on all four legs, they’ll stand up in a few scenarios:
- When reaching into trees
- When showing dominance
- If they’re trying to climb a trees
Tallest Grizzly Bear Ever Recorded
The tallest grizzly bear on record was a male weighed 1,200 pounds and measured 10 feet and 6 inches from nose to tail.[2]
This is significantly taller than the average grizzly bear, which stands measures about 8 feet.
Grizzlies can weigh anywhere from 300 to 1,000 pounds (136 to 454 kg), making them one of the largest land carnivores in North America. However, this large bear went off the scale by 200 pounds.
Are Grizzly Bears the Biggest Bears?
No, grizzly bears are not the biggest bears. The biggest bear species is the Kodiak bear, which can grow to be more than 10 feet in length and 5 feet when standing on all four legs.
Grizzly bears are big. They weigh in at around 680 pounds (308 kg), and will typically grow up to 8 feet in length. However, they’re bested by both Polar bears and Kodiak bears.
Kodiak bears typically reach between 10-11 feet, making them 2-3 feet longer than grizzly bears. They also weigh much more.
The same goes for Polar bears. This species typically also reaches about 10 feet in length and weighs between 770–1,500 pounds (350–700 kg).
Which Is Bigger Black Bear or Grizzly?
Grizzly bears are much larger than black bears, with the average grizzly being around 3.5 feet tall when standing on all four and weighing in at around 400-700 pounds. In comparison, black bears are usually only about 2.5 feet tall and weigh between 200 and 500 pounds.
While grizzlies can get as big as 600 or 700 pounds, black bears rarely exceed 500 pounds.
How Tall Are Bears? (Other Species)
| Bear Species | Standing Height |
| Polar Bear | 10 feet (3 meters) |
| Grizzly Bear | 8 feet (2.4 meters) |
| Black Bear | 5.5 feet (1.68 meters) |
| Kodiak Bear | 10 feet ( 3 meters) |
| Panda Bear | 6.9 feet (2.1 meters) |
How Tall Is a Polar Bear?
Polar bears can reach up to 10 feet when standing on their hind legs, while they’re typically about 3.5-4.5 feet on all four.
Polar bears are the largest land carnivores in the world. They weigh between 770 and 1,500 pounds (350 to 700 kg) but can grow as big as 1,700 pounds. They measure from 8-10 feet (1.5 to 2.4 m) long.
They are mainly white, but their feet are black.
How Tall Is a Black Bear?
The average height for a black bear is 2.5 to 3.5 feet, but they can get as big as 5.5 feet (1.68 meters) when standing on their hind legs.
Like grizzly bears, black bears stand on their hind legs to get a better view of their surroundings.
How Tall Is a Kodiak Bear?
Kodiak bears can reach heights of 10 feet (3 meters) when standing on their hind legs, and they have been known to weigh as much as 1,500 pounds (680 kg).
These bears are the largest subspecies of brown bears. They are also the second-tallest species of bear, after the polar bear.
How Tall Is a Panda Bear?
The height of a panda bear can vary depending on the species. For example, the giant panda can weigh up to 220 pounds (100 kg) and reach a height of 6 feet 9 inches (2.1 meters).
Their smaller cousin, the red panda, typically weighs in at around 11 pounds (5 kg) and reaches a height of 18 inches (46 cm).
How Much Do Grizzly Bears Weigh?
Grizzly bears typically weigh up to 700 pounds (317 kg). The males are bigger than the females and can weigh up to 1,700 pounds (770 kg), whereas females can weigh up to 800 pounds (360 kg).
Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) are North America’s largest land predators, with males capable of reaching 1,700 pounds (770 kg) and females around 800 pounds (360 kg).
Contrary to what their name might suggest, grizzly bears are not always grizzled in color. They can be black, blond, or brown, often with a white chest and muzzle.
You can distinguish grizzly bears from black bears by the hump on the back, which black bears typically don’t have.
Grizzly Bear Size Comparison (Other Animals)
While bears are large, there are also some other very big animals out there, such as the silverback gorilla, Siberian tiger, and hippopotamus.
An average hippopotamus weighs around 2,500 pounds (1134 kg), so a grizzly would be pretty small in comparison.
The same goes for elephants – an average African elephant weighs around 12,000 pounds (5443 kg), so a grizzly would be less than half its size.
Grizzlies are pretty big animals, but they pale in comparison to some of the other giants out there.
Related: Bear Size Comparison
| Animal | Height | Weight |
| Grizzly Bear | 4 feet (120 cm) | 700 pounds (317 kg) |
| Hippo | 5.4 feet (165 cm) | 2,500 pounds (1134 kg) |
| African elephant | 10.5 feet (320 cm) | 12,000 (5443 kg) |
| Siberian Tiger | 3.5 feet (105 cm) | 420 pounds (190 kg) |
| Silverback Gorilla | 5.25 (160 cm) | 500 pounds (226 kg) |
Grizzly Bear vs. Siberian Tiger
Siberian tigers measure about 5 feet 3 inches to 6 feet 8 inches (160-200 cm) in length, which is smaller than the average grizzly bear.
In terms of height, Siberian tigers and grizzly bears are approximately the same when standing on all four (3.5 feet), whereas grizzly bears are slightly longer.
Grizzly bears are also heavier. They weigh up to 700 pounds (317 kg), where Siberian tigers weigh 350-420 pounds (160-190 kg).
Related: Bear vs. Tiger
Grizzly Bear vs. Silverback Gorilla
Grizzlies weigh around 400-700 pounds on average, while gorillas weigh around 500 pounds.
However, grizzlies are much taller (when standing up), measuring in at 8-10 feet. In comparison, Silverback gorillas only measure about 5.25 feet.
Conclusion
The average height for grizzly bears is 3.35 (102 cm) when standing on all four, but they can get as big as 8-10 feet (2.4-3 meters) when standing on their hind legs.
Grizzly bears aren’t the biggest bears, as they’re smaller than both Kodiak bears and Polar bears.
In terms of weight, grizzly bears can reach up to 1,700 pounds, but will typically weigh close to 700 pounds. Males are bigger than females.
