California grizzly bear (SciiFii)

The California grizzly bear (Ursus arctos californicus) is a subspecies of the brown bear, generally known (together with other North American brown bear populations) as the grizzly bear. It was once extinct since the 1920s, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced to the forests and open woodlands of California to help boost biodiversity. Along with the similar-looking Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi), the California grizzly bear is the largest recognized subspecies of the brown bear, reaching average sizes of 300 to 600 kg (660 to 1,320 lb), and has even been known to exceed weights of 680 kg (1,500 lb). Despite this large variation in size, the diet and lifestyle of the California grizzly bear does not differ greatly from that of other brown bears. Hair colors range from blonde to orange (typically females or bears from southern parts of the archipelago) to dark brown. Cubs often retain a white "natal ring" around their neck for the first few years of life. The California grizzly bear's color is also similar to that of its close relatives, the mainland American grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) and Eurasian brown bears (Ursus arctos arctos). Unlike most other brown bear subspecies, the California grizzly bear does not hibernate due to living in the warmer environment than other brown bear subspecies. Although California grizzlies are of the order Carnivora and have the digestive system of carnivores, they are normally omnivores: their diets consist of both plants and animals. They have been known to prey on large mammals, when available, such as moose, elk, caribou, shrub-oxen, camels, tapirs, peccaries, wild pigs, wood-oxen, mule deer, bighorn sheep, bison, and even bears of other species; though they are more likely to take calves and injured individuals rather than healthy adults. California grizzly bears feed on fish such as salmon, trout, and bass, and those with access to a more protein-enriched diet in coastal areas potentially grow larger than inland individuals. California grizzly bears also readily scavenge food or carrion left behind by other animals. California grizzly bears will also eat birds and their eggs, and gather in large numbers at fishing sites to feed on spawning salmon. They frequently prey on baby deer left in the grass, and occasionally they raid the nests of birds of prey such as bald eagles. The California grizzly bear is, like other brown bear subspecies, solitary throughout most of its life except during the breeding seasons or if the mother has cubs. The conservation status of the California grizzly bear is Endangered due to some habitat loss and historic poaching, however, thanks to conservationists, the California grizzly bear is a protected species and is slowly making a comeback.