Back to the bear comparison chart
Why bear sizes are hard to picture
A single number like 120 cm or 450 kg rarely sticks. What helps more is seeing how a black bear stacks up against a grizzly, whether a polar bear really tops a Kodiak—and by roughly how much.
Living bear species are lined up here by shoulder height. Start with the chart above, then scan the full table—including the giant panda and sun bear.
Shoulder height, not standing on two legs
Wildlife sizes for land bears usually mean shoulder height with all four feet on the ground—the top of the shoulder when the animal is standing normally. That is not the same as a bear rearing up on its hind legs, which can look much taller in photos.
We also show typical body length and mid-range adult weight so you can feel overall bulk, not only height. Real animals vary by sex, age, and region; treat these as typical adults for fair visual comparison.
Bear size chart (living species)
A bear size chart sorted from shortest to tallest at the shoulder. Open a portrait to compare that bear alone.
Typical adult mid-range values for size checks. Length is nose-to-tail style body length; weight is approximate and can swing widely by season and region.
Popular bear size matchups
A few pairings that make the differences easiest to see:
- Person vs polar bear: a typical adult (~175 cm) next to a polar bear’s shoulder height makes Arctic scale easy to feel.
- Polar bear vs grizzly: both are huge; polar bears often lead on mass and length, while the chart shows how close they sit at the shoulder.
- American black bear vs grizzly: the black bear sits much lower at the shoulder; a grizzly looks bulkier and taller on all fours.
- Grizzly vs Kodiak: both are brown bears, but Kodiaks from Alaska’s islands run larger at the shoulder and in mass.
- Kodiak vs polar bear: among living bears, both sit near the top. Polar bears often edge out on overall mass and length; Kodiaks are among the tallest at the shoulder.
- Sun bear vs polar bear: the smallest and one of the largest living bears—useful when you need the full span of the family.
Where these sizes come from
Figures are typical adult mid-range values drawn from commonly cited wildlife references—roughly the middle of published ranges for shoulder height, body length, and weight.
They are meant for relative size comparison, not as a field guide measurement of any one animal. Sex, age, season, and region all shift real numbers.
When this page helps
Use it when you need a clear picture of bear size—not a list of disconnected numbers:
- Seeing a polar bear next to a person
- Settling polar vs grizzly or Kodiak without mixing standing height and shoulder height
- Checking black vs grizzly, or where sun bears and pandas sit among living bears
If you want wolves, moose, or whales in the same picture, open the animal sizes list and add them beside these bears.
Bear size questions
Is bear “height” shoulder height or standing on two legs?
Here it means shoulder height with all four feet on the ground—the usual wildlife listing. Photos of bears standing upright look much taller and are a different measurement.
How big is a polar bear compared to a human?
At the shoulder, a typical adult polar bear is far taller than a person standing beside it. Open the Person + polar bear shortcut above to see ~175 cm next to typical polar bear shoulder height.
Polar bear vs grizzly bear—which is bigger?
Among living bears both rank near the top. Polar bears often edge out on overall mass and length; at the shoulder they can look close to a large grizzly. Use the Polar vs grizzly shortcut to see them together.
Which living bear is the biggest?
Polar bears and Kodiak bears are the largest living bears. Polar bears often lead on mass and length; Kodiaks are among the tallest at the shoulder. Compare them on the chart above to see the trade-off.
How does a black bear compare to a grizzly?
A typical American black bear sits much lower at the shoulder than a grizzly and usually weighs less. The chart makes that gap obvious without juggling separate stats.
Is a Kodiak the same as a grizzly?
Both are brown bears, but Kodiak bears from Alaska’s Kodiak Islands tend to grow larger. We list them separately so you can see that island-mainland size difference.
How accurate are these bear sizes?
They are typical adult mid-range figures for comparison. Real bears vary widely. Use them to understand relative size, not as a precise measurement of a specific animal.
Can I compare bears with people or other animals?
Yes. Use a Person + bear shortcut above, or open the lineup on the home comparison and add another animal.
Compare more bears yourself
The chart above is a starting lineup. To swap species or share a link:
- Start from the chart shortcuts above—Person + polar bear is the default—or browse animal sizes for more bears.
- Choose two or more species—pandas and sun bears are there too—and open them on the chart.
- Share the link so others see the same bears together.