Can you tell the age of a bear by the size of its paws?

It is a common myth that you can determine the age of a bear by the size of its paws. While it may be true that the size of a bear's paws can give an indication of the bear's overall size, it is not a reliable method for determining the bear's age.

The size of a bear's paw is determined by a combination of factors, including the species of bear, the bear's sex, and the bear's geographic location. In general, larger species of bears, such as grizzly bears and polar bears, will have larger paws than smaller species, such as black bears.

However, even within a species, there can be significant variation in paw size based on the individual bear's size and sex. Additionally, paw size can be affected by environmental factors such as nutrition and injuries.

So, while the size of a bear's paws can give some clues about the bear's overall size and species, it is not a reliable method for determining the bear's age.