Grizzly bears eat all sorts of things, including many types of mammals and plants — even mushrooms and dirt. But one of their most crucial food sources may surprise you.
Every summer in the Rocky Mountain West, grizzlies gorge on army cutworm moths. Chock full of fat, the moths provide a key source of energy before the bears hibernate.
The thought of a bear eating up to 40,000 moths a day has prompted tourists to come see it for themselves. Sadly, they scare many bears away, depriving them of up to 20,000 calories per day — just when they need them the most.
Grizzly bear populations have come back from dangerously low levels, thanks in large part to the Endangered Species Act, but they remain vulnerable. Let’s do all we can to help them survive.