The Biggest Bear Stands 5 Feet Tall on All Fours (Not Even on Its Hind Legs)

Regardless of the species, you don't want to mess with a big mama bear. DieterMeyrl / Getty Images

Polar bears are one of the largest mammals on land; only the African elephant can tower over the polar bear in this corner of the animal kingdom. But how do you measure the biggest bear? By height or by weight?

Here, we look at both because there are other enormous types of bears — such as Kodiak bears — that can rival the polar bear in size. The size range of the largest bear species can vary greatly, influenced by factors including habitat, food availability and individual genetics.

Adult male bears are typically larger than adult female bears, so the sizes we note below relate specifically to males.

7 Tallest Bears, Based on Shoulder Height

These heights are based on shoulder heights (how tall they are standing on all four legs), as opposed to their standing heights (how tall they'd be if they were standing on their hind legs).

Why? Well, would you measure a person's height, based on how tall they were when they were on their tippy toes trying to reach something on a top shelf. Or how giant they looked while they were trying to scare away predators? Let's measure these animals in their natural states.

1. Kodiak Bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi)

Kodiak bears, a subspecies of brown bears, are native to the Kodiak Archipelago in Alaska. Adult males can reach shoulder heights of about 5 feet (1.5 meters). Though a polar bear can be taller when standing on its hind legs, the Kodiak bear tends to have more robust builds with slightly higher shoulders.

2. Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

Polar bears can also reach heights of almost 5 feet (1.5 meters). These Arctic giants rely on their massive size and strength to hunt seals, making them the apex predators of their icy habitat.

3. Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis)

Grizzly bears, a type of brown bear, are slightly smaller than their Kodiak relatives but can still reach shoulder heights of 3 to 4 feet (0.91 to 1.22 meters). Found across North America, grizzly bears are known for their powerful build and iconic shoulder hump.

4. Other Subspecies of Brown Bear (Ursus arctos)

The brown bear population can be divided into many subspecies. While the biggest ones are Kodiak bears and grizzly bears, other brown bears (including Alaskan, European and Himalayan brown bears) can reach shoulder heights up to 2.5 to 3.5 feet (0.76 to 1.07 meters).

5. Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus)

Spectacled bears, the only bear species native to South America, stand around 2.5 to 3.5 feet (0.76 to 1.07 meters) tall at the shoulder. These bears are named for the unique markings around their eyes, resembling glasses.

6. Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus)

Also known as moon bears, Asiatic black bears can reach shoulder heights of about 2 to 3 feet (0.61 to 0.91 meters) tall at the shoulder. These bears are easily recognizable by the crescent-shaped marking on their chest, and they are found in forests across Asia.

7. Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus)

Sloth bears are delightfully quirky-looking bears found in the forests of India and Sri Lanka. About 2 to 3 feet (0.61 to 0.91 meters) at the shoulder, they are known for their shaggy coats and insect-based diets.

7 Heaviest Bears

1. Polar Bear

Polar bears are the heaviest bear species, with adult males weighing up to 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms). That's about the weight of a motorcycle. The largest polar bear ever recorded weighed over 2,200 pounds (998 kilograms).

2. Kodiak Bear

Kodiak bears, a species of brown bears, rival polar bears in weight, with adult males tipping the scales at over 1,300 pounds (590 kilograms). That's about the weight of a mid-sized car.

A Kodiak bear named Goliath in New Jersey reportedly exceeded 1,984 pounds (900 kilograms) in the early 1980s.

3. Grizzly Bear

Grizzly bears are heavyweights, with adult males weighing between 600 to 1,200 pounds (270 to 540 kilograms). These bears weigh significantly less in inland habitats where food sources are more limited compared to coastal areas.

4. Alaskan Brown Bear (Ursus arctos)

Alaskan brown bears, though bigger than grizzly bears, typically weigh less, from about 300 to 1000 pounds (136 to 454 kilograms). This is about a weight of a horse.

5. Eurasian Brown Bear (Ursus arctos arctos)

Other brown bears, such as those found in Eurasia, typically weigh between 400 to 600 pounds (181 to 272 kilograms). However, some individuals can reach over 800 pounds (363 kilograms) in regions with abundant food supplies.

6. Black Bear (Ursus americanus)

Black bears weigh about 200 to 600 pounds (91 to 272 kilograms) on average. This is about the weight of a large cow or an extra-large pig.

7. Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus)

Spectacled bears typically weigh between 220 to 440 pounds (100 to 200 kilograms). They are highly skilled climbers, spending much of their time in trees.

Spotlight on Polar Bears

Polar bears are one of the tallest and heaviest bears. Adult males can weigh up to 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms), with females typically smaller, averaging around 700 pounds (318 kilograms).

The largest polar bear ever recorded, shot in northwestern Alaska in 1960, weighed 1,984 pounds (900 kilograms) and stood 11 feet 5 inch tall (3.35 meters) on its hind legs.

These animals have also adapted to life in one of the harshest environments on Earth. Polar bears rely on their thick blubber and dense fur to survive the Arctic’s freezing temperatures.

Polar bears' diet primarily consists of seals, which they hunt on the sea ice. As apex predators, they are critical to maintaining the balance of the Arctic ecosystem. However, climate change has significantly reduced sea ice, threatening their ability to find food and forcing them to travel greater distances.

Conservation efforts are vital to protecting polar bears and their habitat as the Arctic continues to warm.

We created this article with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.