When A Grizzly And A Polar Bear Mate, A Pizzly Is Born
on Mar 17, 2021
Also known as grolars, pizzlies are the impressive combination of a grizzly and polar bear. Researchers are seeing these enormous predators pop up in Alaska and Canada.
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Normally, polar bears and grizzly bears don’t have the same habitat. Polar bears spend much of their time in the water, while grizzly bears live on land. As the arctic ice in Alaska and Canada continues to melt, the land area grows larger, and polar bears and grizzlies will inevitably get to know each other a little better.
Regulations that protect bears from hunting and trapping may also be a factor in changing population numbers and mating habits.
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Different species of animals having babies together are known as interspecies mating. While animals prefer to mate with members of their own species, they may choose to mate with animals of another species if members of their own species are not available.
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As polar ice continues to melt, there is less space for polar bears — and more space for grizzlies. This could mean that as more hybrid bear cubs are born, their DNA will begin to lean more heavily toward grizzly, with fewer polar bear genes.
Learn more about the hybrid polar-grizzly bear mix in the video below.
