What Kinds of Food Do Grizzly Bears Eat?

Plants

• Because grizzly bears are foragers, the plants they eat depend on the seasons. In spring, grizzly bears eat the newly-revealed grass, clover, dandelions and other green plants. In summer, they dig for roots and tubers while still eating leafy greens. Grizzly bears also eat mushrooms when they are available and berries in late summer. In autumn, the grizzly bears begin to eat heavier foods to prepare for hibernation. They increase their tuber and root intake for a high-starch diet and they begin to eat nuts, such as limber pine nuts.

Insects

• Although popular opinion is that bears like honey, in fact bears eat bees, hornets and wasps out of their hives. They also use their sharp claws to tear bark off trees, disturb fallen logs and tear into stumps looking for grubs and larvae. Grizzly bears eat ants more than any other insect. They overturn rocks and dig into ant hills to sample the ants before deciding to exert more effort on the small insects. No one knows why the grizzlies work so hard for small meals, but insects are a staple in their diet.

Animals

• For meat, grizzly bears mostly eat carrion, and they will travel to find carcasses to eat. Grizzly bears also stalk and kill caribou, elk and moose calves before they become too quick to catch. When hunting, they focus on small mammals, including rodents, but they occasionally attack larger animals. Grizzly bears near streams use their claws to catch fish both in the water and in the air. Salmon are particularly vulnerable.

Human Food

• Grizzly bears are opportunistic eaters with strong noses. They rifle through garbage to find any scraps of food, and they remember where they found the food. Bears eat human food and pet food. Hunters need to be alert that their kills can attract curious grizzly bears. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service states that grizzly bears are attracted to scented toiletries, such as soaps, shampoos and toothpastes. Grizzly bears that eat human food and encroach upon areas where people live can become a dangerous nuisance, so they are often moved or killed by wildlife experts.