There are a few common rules about bear safety everyone should know. One key rule? Never run away from a bear. Not only can this trigger a prey-predator response in the bear, but your odds of outrunning a healthy adult bear are, well, nonexistent. Every species of bear in North America is fully capable of catching up to even the fastest human or dog in just a few seconds. In addition to putting on bursts of speed up to 40 mph, some bears can sustain speeds of 20 mph or more for miles. Let\u2019s dive deeper into how fast different species of bears can run, why they\u2019re able to run as fast as they can, and how fast you should be able to deploy your bear spray in the backcountry.<\/p>\n
How Fast Can a Bear Run: A Species Breakdown<\/h2>\n
North America is home to three bear species: the black bear, the grizzly bear, and the polar bear. These species all have different top speeds because they all have slightly different body mechanics. For example, while healthy black bears and grizzly bears have more long-distance endurance, polar bears can only exert themselves in short spurts to avoid overheating, one study shows<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDetermining the maximum speed of any wild animal is fraught with difficulty,\u201d Glacier National Park wildlife biologist John Waller says. \u201cSome species have been clocked under controlled conditions, but for many, their speeds are based on estimates and anecdotal observations. This is true for bears.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Despite the challenges, researchers have been able to establish benchmarks for the top land speeds of grizzly bears, black bears, and polar bears. Here\u2019s what we know.<\/p>\n The grizzly bear, or brown bear, is the fastest bear in the world and can achieve a top speed of 40 mph, according to the National Park Service<\/a>. Put another way, a grizzly bear running at top speed can cover about 20 yards in a single second.<\/p>\n What\u2019s equally impressive is their ability to run fast\u2014if not at that top speed of 40 mph\u2014for longer than a few hundred meters. A few observations of a grizzly bear\u2019s speed and endurance came from Yellowstone National Park in 1937, written by assistant park naturalist William Kearns.<\/p>\n \u201cGrizzlies are powerful beasts, and as evidenced by [a report], have considerable endurance,\u201d Kearns writes. \u201cCovering two miles at from 25 to 28 miles per hour proves a stamina that would certainly try the best of horses.\u201d<\/p>\n The report Kearns wrote<\/a> describes an instance in 1930 when two naturalists drove to Norris Geyser Basin. Along the way, they came across a grizzly sow and two cubs in the road. They proceeded to follow the grizzly and cubs for two miles\u2014while driving 25 mph all the way. Another incident involved a grizzly sow with two cubs chasing a series of cars on icy roads. During the pursuit, the grizzlies and cars topped out at roughly 28 mph.<\/p>\n According to the North American Bear Center<\/a>, black bears can also achieve top speeds of 30 mph when they\u2019re lean. But if they\u2019re bulked up for winter and have grown thick coats, they risk overheating if they run for too long. This might also be the case if they\u2019re unnaturally large from eating human food. For example, a bear like Hank the Tank from the Lake Tahoe area<\/a> probably couldn\u2019t run 30 mph.<\/p>\n Polar bears have evolved to survive much colder temperatures than black bears and grizzly bears. This means they also overheat quickly and can only maintain their top speed<\/a> of 25 mph for short bursts while chasing prey, but for no longer than roughly 30 seconds. They\u2019re technically considered marine mammals since they swim and feed in the ocean, so they haven\u2019t exactly evolved for cross-country running.<\/p>\nHow Fast Can a Grizzly Bear Run? <\/h3>\n
How Fast Can a Black Bear Run?<\/h3>\n
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How Fast Can a Polar Bear Run?<\/h3>\n
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