Good morning………………………hope it’s a good one! Why the big paws? I don’t know. I was born with them? 🐾 Can you dig it? Behold, the paw of the brown bear. With five toes on each foot, and some pretty sharp claws, they are used for subduing salmon, digging daybeds, digging up roots (cool, so lots of digging), pretty good grip for climbing, and much more. The pads on the bottom of their paws act as shock absorbers when they walk, helping them avoid injury when walking over rough terrain. The front paws also work as paddles when they swim. This paw belongs to bear 480 - Otis taken during a lengthy napping session. If you see a bear napping, take a moment to paws and reflect before getting too close. In fact, give them room and use your zoom. Image: Closeup of underside of a bear paw. NPS Photo/M. Whalen #talktothepaw #bear #bearpaw #alaska #greatoutdoorsmonth #naturephotography