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How fast can bears run?
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A grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) running through shallow water with a salmon in its mouth at Katmai National Park, USA.
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A grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) running through shallow water with a salmon in its mouth at Katmai National Park, USA.
Running in the stream A grizzly bear, having just caught a salmon, runs through an Alaskan stream. At top speed, that grizzly can reach 35 miles per hour.

How fast can bears run?

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Bears, despite their at times lumbering appearance, can move at impressive speeds in pursuit of prey. The fastest of these mammals are grizzly bears. Known for their massive size and strength, they can reach top speeds of 35 miles per hours (56 kilometers per hour) over short distances. This speed is surprising given their long claws, which typically hinder climbing but not their ability to sprint.

Black bears, although generally smaller than grizzlies, are also quite fast, sometimes reaching the 35 mph that Grizzlies attain. Polar bears, the largest land carnivores, move with great speed in the water but attain speeds of about 25 mph (40 kph) on land.

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