Zauri Khachidze · Borjomi-Kharagauli National ParkGeorgia field photo
Key facts in one look
Diet
Omnivore
Status in Georgia
Resident
Size
1–2.8 m
Habitat
Mountain forest / Vashlovani
Family
Ursidae
Conservation
EN / LC
Overview
Brown bear in Georgia
The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is a mammal in the bear family. In Georgia, it occurs naturally and lives there year-round. In general, the brown bear measures about 1 to 2.8 meters from head to the end of the body. Its weight varies greatly: it may range from a few dozen kilograms to several hundred kilograms. Bears living in the mountains of southern Eurasia are usually much lighter than, for example, the large bears living along the coast of Alaska. For people, the danger is not its venom, but its large size and strength. Worldwide, the brown bear is not considered to be at high risk of extinction, but in Georgia’s 2014 Red List it is listed as a species facing the risk of extinction.
Identification
How to identify Brown bear
It is a large, strongly built mammal. It has a clearly visible muscular hump at the shoulders, rounded ears, a short tail, and long claws on its front paws. No other bear species occurs naturally in Georgia.
In this species, body length without the tail is about 1–2.8 m. The tail is 6–21 cm long, and shoulder height is often about 90–150 cm. Weight varies greatly, and males are usually larger than females. From the side, the bear’s face often looks slightly concave, the ears are small and rounded, and the short tail is almost hidden in the fur.
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The fur color varies a lot: from light cream or sandy tones to dark brown, and sometimes almost black. Some have a lighter patch on the throat or chest. The clear hump near the shoulders is made of muscle and is an important feature for recognizing a bear. The front claws are longer than the back claws and do not retract like a cat’s claws.
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No other bear species lives naturally in Georgia. The polar bear and the American black bear are not part of Georgia’s animal world. The wolf is much smaller than a bear and has a dog-like body shape: it has long legs and a hairy tail. The wild boar leaves a hoof print, while a bear print shows five toes. From a distance, a small bear cub may look like a dog, so you must not approach it — its mother may be nearby.
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The brown bear is not venomous. Signs that it may be nearby include a large, five-toed footprint with long claw marks, droppings containing berries or plant remains, and dug-up ground. If you see a bear or fresh signs of one, do not approach the animal.
Distribution
Where brown bear is recorded in Georgia
In Georgia, the brown bear is mostly found in mountains and forests, especially in places where people rarely disturb it. According to older records, it has disappeared or greatly declined in parts of lowland forests and easily accessible areas. Today, its main areas of occurrence are the Greater Caucasus, the Lesser Caucasus and the far east of the country, including Vashlovani National Park and its semi-dry surroundings. So the brown bear should not be linked only with high-mountain forests. The public iNaturalist records on this page are summarized by region on the map: only regions with enough reliable records are treated as confirmed distribution, while single or uncertain records remain recorded only. The records include Borjomi-Kharagauli, mountain valleys in Adjara, protected areas in Kakheti, parts of the Greater Caucasus and other places, but this is not a complete municipality-by-municipality map of Georgia. We should not assume that the brown bear is found equally often everywhere in the country.Read moreShow less
In Georgia, the brown bear is mostly found in mountains and forests, especially in places where people rarely disturb it. According to older records, it has disappeared or greatly declined in parts of lowland forests and easily accessible areas. Today, its main areas of occurrence are the Greater Caucasus, the Lesser Caucasus and the far east of the country, including Vashlovani National Park and its semi-dry surroundings. So the brown bear should not be linked only with high-mountain forests. The public iNaturalist records on this page are summarized by region on the map: only regions with enough reliable records are treated as confirmed distribution, while single or uncertain records remain recorded only. The records include Borjomi-Kharagauli, mountain valleys in Adjara, protected areas in Kakheti, parts of the Greater Caucasus and other places, but this is not a complete municipality-by-municipality map of Georgia. We should not assume that the brown bear is found equally often everywhere in the country.
The brown bear map uses public iNaturalist photo observations from Georgia. Regions come from the records-by-region table: only confirmed status counts as distribution, while low-count or uncertain regions remain recorded only. Record counts reflect observation effort, not population density.
The brown bear eats many different kinds of food. In general, it feeds on herbaceous plants, roots, berries, nuts, chestnuts and other fruits, as well as insects, carrion and sometimes hoofed animals. In Borjomi-Kharagauli and Trialeti, bears often gather in autumn in places with fruit-bearing trees and trees with large seeds, including chestnut trees. Where bears come into conflict with people, they may damage beehives, crops or livestock. These are examples of local conflict, not a full description of what the brown bear eats.
Brown bears often move around at dusk and at night, especially near people. In quiet, remote forests they may also appear during the day. In winter, when food is scarce, they rest in dens and sleep for long periods, although they may sometimes wake up. In brown bears generally, pregnancy works in such a way that development of the young in the mother's body does not begin right away; it starts later. Cubs are usually born in winter, in the den, and stay with their mother until about two years of age. A bear's track has five toes. In the front paw track, the marks of long claws are visible, while the hind paw track looks more like a human foot than a wolf's. The audio recording used on this page is from Finland, not Georgia.
Worldwide, the brown bear has a low risk of extinction, although its situation differs greatly from one region to another. In Georgia’s 2014 Red List, however, it is listed as threatened with extinction because there are few bears and their groups are separated from one another. Ordinary hunting is not allowed: killing or reducing the number of a Red List species is a protected legal matter and is not something to decide on your own. According to an older estimate, in 2010 there were at least about 450 bears in Georgia, across about 34,000 km² of habitat. A 2014 estimate for Borjomi-Kharagauli gave 38–47 bears. In 2022–2024, samples collected from several protected areas showed 228 different genetic profiles. This does not show the total number of bears in Georgia, because the data came only from selected areas and did not include a large part of the Greater Caucasus. The main threats are listed as illegal hunting, the breakup of the bear’s living areas, and conflict with people.
Diet
The brown bear eats many different kinds of food. In general, it feeds on herbaceous plants, roots, berries, nuts, chestnuts and other fruits, as well as insects, carrion and sometimes hoofed animals. In Borjomi-Kharagauli and Trialeti, bears often gather in autumn in places with fruit-bearing trees and trees with large seeds, including chestnut trees. Where bears come into conflict with people, they may damage beehives, crops or livestock. These are examples of local conflict, not a full description of what the brown bear eats.
Behavior
Brown bears often move around at dusk and at night, especially near people. In quiet, remote forests they may also appear during the day. In winter, when food is scarce, they rest in dens and sleep for long periods, although they may sometimes wake up. In brown bears generally, pregnancy works in such a way that development of the young in the mother's body does not begin right away; it starts later. Cubs are usually born in winter, in the den, and stay with their mother until about two years of age. A bear's track has five toes. In the front paw track, the marks of long claws are visible, while the hind paw track looks more like a human foot than a wolf's. The audio recording used on this page is from Finland, not Georgia.
Conservation
Worldwide, the brown bear has a low risk of extinction, although its situation differs greatly from one region to another. In Georgia’s 2014 Red List, however, it is listed as threatened with extinction because there are few bears and their groups are separated from one another. Ordinary hunting is not allowed: killing or reducing the number of a Red List species is a protected legal matter and is not something to decide on your own. According to an older estimate, in 2010 there were at least about 450 bears in Georgia, across about 34,000 km² of habitat. A 2014 estimate for Borjomi-Kharagauli gave 38–47 bears. In 2022–2024, samples collected from several protected areas showed 228 different genetic profiles. This does not show the total number of bears in Georgia, because the data came only from selected areas and did not include a large part of the Greater Caucasus. The main threats are listed as illegal hunting, the breakup of the bear’s living areas, and conflict with people.
Short answers to the most important questions about Brown bear.
Yes. The brown bear lives naturally in Georgia and has a permanent presence here. It is included in Georgia’s mammal lists and in Georgia’s Red List.
In Georgia, the brown bear is found mainly in mountain forests, where people disturb it less. Around Vashlovani, it also lives in relatively dry areas. On this page's map, only regions with enough evidence in the public record table are highlighted as confirmed; regions with few or uncertain records remain recorded only. A specific photo or record does not mean that you are guaranteed to see a bear in that place.
The brown bear is easy to recognize by its large body, noticeable hump at the shoulders, rounded ears, short tail, and long front claws. No other bear species occurs in the wild in Georgia. The wolf is slimmer and has a dog-like body shape.
In this species, the length of the head and body is about 1–2.8 m. Size varies greatly by sex and by where the bears live. Bears living in the mountains of southern Eurasia are usually much lighter than the especially large bears living on the coast of Alaska.
The brown bear eats many kinds of food. It feeds on plants, berries, chestnuts and other fruits, insects, the meat of dead animals, and sometimes hoofed animals. In some villages, it may damage beehives or livestock.
The brown bear lives in Georgia year-round and, unlike birds, does not regularly move from one place to another with the seasons. In winter, it spends a long time resting in its den, although the exact months are not the same everywhere in Georgia. In summer and autumn, its tracks may appear more often because it feeds and moves around more actively during this time.
The brown bear makes different sounds, but near people it often moves quietly. The sound recording used on this page is from Finland, not Georgia; there is no sound recorded in Georgia here.
The brown bear can be dangerous if you meet it up close or unexpectedly, especially near cubs or food. It is not venomous, but it is a large and strong animal. Do not approach it, do not feed it, and keep your distance.
No. In Georgia, the brown bear is included in Georgia’s Red List, and hunting it is normally prohibited. If a bear causes damage in a village or poses a danger to people, that does not mean it may be killed on one’s own initiative. In such cases, contact the relevant environmental service, and in an immediate emergency, call 112.
In Georgia, the brown bear is listed as an animal at risk in the Red List. Globally, however, it is assessed as being under less threat.
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
