Wildlife photography of a mother Coastal Brown Bear and her three cubs in Katmai National Park in Alaska

Along the grassy shores of Hallo Bay in the Katmai National Park and Preserve, three Coastal Brown Bear cubs and their mother relax in the moody light of a spring afternoon. I am often asked about the differences between Brown, Grizzly, and Coastal Brown Bears. The answer is regional. All are Brown Bears, those inland are called Grizzly and those near the sea are called Coastal Brown Bears. The Coastal Browns become enormous because of their rich salmon diet, while Grizzlies are smaller because much of what they eat is vegetation. That said, it is thought that because of shorter food supplies, the Grizzly may be the most aggressive of the Browns.