Trivia Question of the Week

Time for the TQOTW!

How much salmon can a brown bear consume in a single day?

Hint #1: A lot.

Hint #2: No, seriously. A lot.

Hint #3: Dieticians recommend around 2,000 calories per day for the average American adult. For brown bears? Well, let's just say that 65,000 calories is more typical, and 100,000 isn't abnormal when the salmon are running strong.

Hint #4: You would need to eat around 180 servings of salmon to match a brown bear's maximum daily consumption.

Hint #5: Did I mention it's a lot of salmon?

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Brown bears can consume up to 100 pounds, or around 40 salmon (depending on the size of the fish) each day. These figures are likely most relevant when there are a lot of salmon available. Average salmon consumption rates are probably between 55 and 75 pounds of fish per bear per day! Keep in mind that bears can also eat less salmon, and make up the additional calories by eating berries-- wild blueberries, devil's club, watermelon berries, salmon berries, currant, and cranberries, among others. Grasses, invertebrates, and carrion are on the brown bear's menu as well.