Brown bears, Ursus arctos, include the largest of the land carnivores, the Alaska brown bears or kodiak bears. They may reach a length of 10 feet (3 m) and weigh up to 1,700 pounds (780 kg). They live on the shores and islands of Alaska. European brown bears, once common throughout the continent, now are found only in mountainous areas of Russia, Scandinavia, and southern Europe. Smaller Asiatic brown bears include the tan Syrian bear and the snow bear of the Himalayas. Grizzly bears are closely related to the Alaska brown bears. They once roamed from Mexico to Alaska, but today are found only in a few national parks in the American West.