The Kodiak Bear is a subspecies of the brown bear, and is unique in that they can only be found on the Kodiak Archipelago, a group of islands south of Alaska. There are approximately 3000 Kodiak Bears currently in existence, and they have been isolated from other bears for over 12,000 years. Males are called boars, females are called sows, and youngsters are cubs. Their average lifespan is around 20 years.

Kodiak Bears are among the largest in the world, and can grow up to 10.5 feet long and weigh around 900 lbs or more. They have a fluffy brown coat to stay warm, and large claws and teeth to catch fish. They also have a shoulder hump, which is actually a mass of muscle, enabling them to dig and use their paws to strike. The largest known Kodiak Bear in captivity was named Clyde, and lived at the Dakota Zoo in Bismarck, North Dakota. Clyde died at the age of 22 in 1987, and at one point weighed 2400 lbs.

Kodiak Bears are generally solitary in nature, but are often found in large groups near feeding areas, and return to the same fishing spot every summer for the salmon run. They have developed their own language and social structure. The bears are generally active during the day, and eat a lot of grass, plants and berries, in addition to fish. A bear can eat up to 90 lbs of food in a day, especially when preparing for hibernation. These bears have one of the keenest sense of smells in nature. Mating season is during May and June, and cubs are born in January or February. Male bears are monogamous, and a typical litter size is generally 2-3 cubs. Nearly half of all cubs die before they are a year old, due to disease, starvation or predators. Kodiak Bears become sexually mature around 5 years of age, and can continue to produce cubs for the rest of their lives. They enter dens in late October, and emerge in April. While hibernating, their temperature decreases only slightly, but their respiration and heart rate decrease dramatically.

Traditionally, Kodiak natives hunted bears for food, clothing and tools. Bear heads were often left in the field as a sign of respect for the bears. Concern about reduced bear populations led to the creation of the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge in 1941. Hunting is currently controlled under strict regulations. Only one person has been killed by a Kodiak Bear in the last 75 years.