The primary distinguishing feature between grizzly and Kodiak bears is where they live. The range of the Kodiak is limited to just the islands of the Kodiak archipelago of southwestern Alaska. This population of bears has been separated from the mainland animals for roughly 12,000 years, and this geographic isolation has allowed them to develop into their own subspecies. Grizzly bears, on the other hand, are much more widespread; they're generally found in inland areas of the Canadian provinces of the Northwest Territories, Yukon, British Columbia and Alberta, and the U.S. states of Alaska, Montana, Washington, Wyoming and Idaho.