Bears are herbivores or carnivores. Types of bears Polar bear predator or omnivore
To the question bears are herbivores or predators, asked by the author Elena Yakshigulova the best answer is Bears are omnivores. They eat grass, berries, mushrooms, they will not give up fish, especially meat, they fatten up - they eat everything until they are completely stupefied.
But pandas only eat bamboo, while polar bears prefer seal and seal fat.
Answer from Anastasia[newbie]
Predators))
Answer from merman[guru]
predators of course
Answer from Artyom Kirillov[master]
omnivores!!
Answer from Anyushka Selivanova[active]
predators, but from hunger they can pick up raspberries and chew grass =)
Answer from Anton Shefer[newbie]
The bear is an omnivore, just like humans.
Answer from Nastya Ropcea[master]
omnivores
Answer from Natasha[guru]
Bears (lat. Ursidae) - a family of mammals of the predatory order. They differ from other representatives of the canine in a more stocky physique. Bears are omnivorous, climb and swim well, run fast, can stand and walk short distances on their hind legs. They have a short tail, long and thick hair, as well as excellent sense of smell and hearing. They hunt in the evening or at dawn. Usually fearful of humans, but can be dangerous in areas where they are used to humans, especially polar bears and grizzly bears. Immune to bee stings. In nature, they have almost no natural enemies.
Answer from Marina Mirutenko[guru]
Answer from Olesya Yudintseva (Yumasheva)[newbie]
100% carnivorous predators, because they eat meat and hunt. Only carnivores can hunt and eat meat, first of all, and only then fish, mushrooms, nuts, honey, berries, grass, roots. But herbivores cannot eat meat.
Answer from Lyudmila Valentinovna[guru]
the white bear, grizzly bear, spectacled bear, and many other members of the bear family eat wild berries, nuts, honey, rodents, carrion, large mammals, and other plants. FROM THE ORDER THEY ARE PREDATORS. but the koala, belonging to the marsupial bear family, is a herbivorous bear.
Answer from Iodionov Sergey[guru]
the bear is omnivorous. He eats almost everything that can be eaten. in the summer, plant foods predominate, most of the animal protein in the bear's diet is small animals. rodents. insects. the bear is engaged in hunting directly, especially hunting for large animals, extremely rarely only in the absence of more accessible and less "dangerous" food
Answer from Ѝyvind Storm of the Fjords[guru]
Bears are omnivores. In principle, they eat plant food all the time, and animal food only when it falls into their paws.
Answer from KOMOV MICHAEL[guru]
Browns are omnivores. Whites are predators
Answer from Alesya Benitsevich[newbie]
omnivorous
Answer from Marat Timirgalin[active]
omnivorous
Answer from Jena Sluchic[newbie]
Differently
Answer from Gulnara Abulkhanova[newbie]
Anatomically predatory. Teeth, that and that. And constantly on plant foods, he can not. But in recent years, in many regions, the bear is increasingly using plant foods. In this regard, its numbers are growing, in some places it is much larger than the wolf. That is, it sort of climbs off the top of the food pyramid.
The bear family (Ursidae) includes the largest of modern terrestrial predators. Most taxonomists believe that there are currently eight species of bears on Earth (they, in turn, are divided into many different subspecies), belonging to three different branches.
Bears are found on every continent except Africa, Australia and Antarctica. Three types of bears - spectacled, sloth and Malay - live in the tropics, but the center of origin of the bear family is in the Northern Hemisphere. A long time ago, the brown bear was also found in the Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa.
Bears are predominantly inhabitants of various types of forests and light forests. One species - the polar bear - inhabits the Arctic deserts and ice.
The most probable ancestors of modern bears were small predators that lived 25 million years ago (subfamily Agriotheriinae). The oldest member of this group, Ursavus elmensis, had a long tail and looked like a raccoon, but animals of a later period already resembled modern bears both in size and in appearance. This group gave rise to three modern subfamilies. The giant panda separated from the common trunk first, then the real bears (Ursus and his relatives) and the spectacled bears (Tremarctos) separated.
Depending on the species, the body length of a predator can vary from 1 to 3 meters, the mass of individual polar and brown bears can reach up to 1000 kg. Males are significantly larger than females.
The addition of bears is heavy, awkward. To support a large mass, their hind limbs are plantigrade (when walking, the entire sole is pressed to the ground). This also allows them to lift freely and stand on their hind legs. The structure of the front paws is different in different species of bears - from plantigrade to semi-toed (the back of the foot is partially raised above the ground). All species have five toes on each paw, equipped with curved, non-retractable claws.
The skull of bears is massive, larger than that of other predators; the facial section is of medium length or shortened (especially in a spectacled bear). Wide molars with flat chewing surfaces and rounded fangs are well suited for crushing and grinding plant foods. Polar bears are exclusively carnivores, so their teeth are sharper. Depending on the species, bears have 40-42 teeth.
The fur of bears is thick and long; the coloration is usually dark, uniform, from brown to black (as an exception, white or contrasting two-tone), sometimes with a light pattern on the head and chest. The tail is very short; ears are small, rounded; the lips are large and very mobile.
Polar bears and most New World browns do not climb trees, only European browns and all other species climb trees where they feed or sleep, but they still prefer to spend most of their time on the ground. For a carnivorous animal that climbs trees, bears have surprising features - they have too short tails and completely lack facial vibrissae.
Most species of bears are non-specialized omnivores that feed on both berries, nuts, shoots, rhizomes and leaves of plants, as well as meat, fish and insects. They have an excellent sense of smell, color vision and a good memory, which allows them to remember places rich in food. It should be noted that bears do not digest vegetable food very well, since in their gastrointestinal tract there are no symbiotic microorganisms that can decompose fiber (these bacteria are found in the stomach of ruminants). Therefore, plant fibers and berries are excreted from the body almost undigested.
Photo and description of modern species of bears
And now let's get to know each of the eight types of bears closer.
Brown bear or common bear (Ursus arctos) is a typical representative of the bear family; found in Russia, Canada and Alaska. Prefers to settle in old forests, avoids wide open spaces, but can also live at an altitude of up to 5000 meters above sea level, where there are no forests anymore. Habitats are usually confined to freshwater bodies of water.
The brown bear is a large animal: its body length is 1.5-2.8 m, the height at the shoulders is up to 1.5 m. Males weigh from 60 to 800 kg. The mass of adult predators varies depending on the time of year and geographical habitat. The smallest is the pika-eater from the mountains of Central Asia, and the largest is the Kodiak from Alaska and Kamchatka.
The photo shows a brown bear in all its glory.
Polar bear
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is the largest living member of the family. The length of his body is 2-2.5 m, the height at the withers is about 1.5 m, the body weight is on average 350-450 kg, but there are also giants with a body weight of more than 500 kg.
Distributed on the Arctic coast of the Arctic Ocean, in Northern Canada.
The color of the fur is pure white, often yellowish due to oil contamination, especially in summer. The fur is thick and warm, but the main warming function is played by a thick layer of subcutaneous fat.
The polar bear is the only member of the family that lives exclusively on a meat diet. He hunts young walruses, ringed seals, sea hares, beluga whales and narwhals.
Pictured is a polar bear with cubs. The female usually gives birth to two cubs once every 3 years. You can read more about polar bears in the article.
Black bear
The black bear or baribal (Ursus americanus) is found in Canada, northern Mexico, the USA, except for the central part of the Great Plains. Lives in dense forests, thickets of bushes, as well as in more open areas.
Black bear sizes vary by geographic location and season. Baribals are larger in the northern and eastern regions of their range. The length of their body varies from 1.2 to 1.9 meters, the height at the withers is from 0.7 to 1 meter.
The photo shows a black bear on a tree. The ability to climb trees is vital for baribals - here they feed and hide in case of danger.
The Himalayan or white-breasted bear (Ursus thibetanus) is found from Iran to Southeast Asia, Northern China, Primorye, Japan, and Taiwan. Prefers to settle in the forests of the temperate zone, subtropics and tropics.
Body length - 1.2-1.9 meters, weight of males 60-200 kg, females - 40-140 kg. Due to the long hair, the Himalayan bear seems to be much larger than it really is. The coat is black with a white v-shaped mark on the chest, another mark is on the chin; around the neck there is a collar made of long wool. Apparently, the collar plays a role in protection against predators, because this species has always coexisted next to the tiger.
The white-breasted bear climbs trees beautifully, often building something resembling a nest, bending branches to the trunk.
The Himalayan bear is a rare vulnerable species. For 3,000 years, man has been hunting him because of his paws and gallbladder (dried bile is used in traditional Chinese medicine).
The life expectancy of a Himalayan bear is up to 25 years in nature and up to 37 years in captivity.
Malayan bear
The Malayan Bear or Biruang (Helarctos malayanus) is the smallest species of bear, sometimes referred to as the "dog bear". Due to their small size and friendly disposition, in Asia, buriangs are often kept in captivity as pets. Their body length does not exceed 140 cm, they weigh 27-65 kilograms. The coat of Malayan bears is short, black, with a white, orange or dark yellow crescent-shaped chest marking.
There are Malayan bears in Southeast Asia and East India. Their life is closely connected with trees, where they often sleep in specially built nests. They feed mainly on various fruits, but if such food is not enough, they switch to insects.
Malayan bears are diurnal. They breed at any time of the year, and the duration of pregnancy varies greatly (from 3 to 8 months).
In captivity, the Malayan bear can live up to 33 years.
The sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) lives in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka. It is found mainly in lowland forests and steppes.
Body length - 1.4-1.9 meters, weight - 80-190 kg. The sloth coat is long, thick, black in color with a white spot on the chest. Its claws are slightly curved, the palate is wide, and the lips are elongated (this is how it got its name). These adaptations help the sloth beetle to dig up and suck up termites, which make up a large part of its diet. And he got his generic name (Melursus) for his special love for honey: he often climbs trees and is ready to endure bee stings, just to feast on honeycombs. In addition to termites, various other insects and honey, sloth eats berries with pleasure.
The sloth has a long coat, which is quite surprising for a species that lives in the rainforest. Apparently, it plays the same role as the loose clothing worn by people living in hot climates.
The sloth bear is a vulnerable species. In captivity, life expectancy is up to 34 years.
Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) Lives in the Andes from eastern Venezuela to the border of Bolivia and Argentina. It is found in a wide variety of biotypes: in mountain and tropical rainforests, high mountain meadows and even in deserts.
Body length - 1.3-2.0 meters, weight - 100-200 kg. The coat is black with a creamy white bib mark on the chin, neck, chest; around the eyes there are white markings of various shapes (hence the name of the bear).
The spectacled bear is a rather slender animal. Despite its relatively large size, it is agile and good at climbing trees, where it obtains food and builds nests for rest from branches and twigs.
In different habitats, the diet of spectacled bears varies, but food of plant origin (fruits, bamboo, cacti, etc.) predominates everywhere. They also enter the fields of grain crops, corn, which annoy farmers a lot.
In captivity, a spectacled bear lives up to 39 years.
Big panda
The giant panda or bamboo bear (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is found in Sichuan, Shanxi and Gansu of central and western China. Prefers cool moist bamboo forests at an altitude of 1500-3400 meters above sea level.
The height of the giant panda at the withers is 70-80 cm, weight is 100-150 kg. The wool of the bamboo bear is black and white (circles around the eyes, the area around the nose, front and hind legs and shoulders are black, everything else is white).
The diet consists predominantly of bamboo; occasionally pandas eat bulbs of various plants, cereals, insects and rodents.
In nature, a panda usually lives up to 20 years, in captivity - up to 30 years.
Today, great efforts are being made to preserve the giant panda, however, despite the most severe ban, animals still become victims of poachers. They also fall into traps set on other animals. Read more about the giant panda.
What types of bears are the most dangerous?
Bears are often referred to as aggressive and dangerous animals. Indeed, their strength and size allow them to easily cope with a person, but the tendency of bears to attack people is greatly exaggerated.
Only polar bears, being real predators, are perhaps the only members of the family who actually sometimes perceive a person as prey, while tracking him down according to all the rules of hunting. Their attacks are driven by hunger, not fear. It is polar bears that are considered the most dangerous to humans. However, not many people live near polar bears, and people, knowing who they might have to deal with, always carry weapons with them.
In second place in terms of danger to humans are brown bears, but their aggressiveness largely depends on the geographical habitat. Grizzlies in the center of the American continent, as well as bears living in Siberia, are really dangerous. This is especially true of she-bears who protect their cubs, or animals that defend their prey. In the eastern regions of Europe, more aggressive individuals are found. But in general, all bears, like other wild animals, try not to get in the way of a person and, if possible, avoid meeting with him.
American black bears, especially those that live next to humans, often frighten people, but very rarely cause them any harm.
Spectacled bears are very cautious and absolutely not aggressive towards humans, but it happens that they attack livestock.
Among the Asian bears, only the giant panda is a true vegetarian, and naturally, it does not pose any danger to humans.
Malayan bears often scare the locals. If they are accidentally disturbed, they usually rear up, roar furiously and make a sharp lunge towards the enemy, but they rarely really attack.
Himalayan bears and sloth bears, which often have to fight back large cats, are more likely to attack than flee. Many people think that sloth bears are more dangerous than tigers.
Literature: Mammals: The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia / Translated from English / Book. I. Carnivores, marine mammals, primates, tupai, woolly wings. / Ed. D. Macdonald. - M: "Omega", - 2007.
In contact with
To the question bears are herbivores or predators, asked by the author Elena Yakshigulova the best answer is Bears are omnivores. They eat grass, berries, mushrooms, they will not give up fish, especially meat, they fatten up - they eat everything until they are completely stupefied.
But pandas only eat bamboo, while polar bears prefer seal and seal fat.
Answer from Anastasia[newbie]
Predators))
Answer from merman[guru]
predators of course
Answer from Artyom Kirillov[master]
omnivores!!
Answer from Anyushka Selivanova[active]
predators, but from hunger they can pick up raspberries and chew grass =)
Answer from Anton Shefer[newbie]
The bear is an omnivore, just like humans.
Answer from Nastya Ropcea[master]
omnivores
Answer from Natasha[guru]
Bears (lat. Ursidae) - a family of mammals of the predatory order. They differ from other representatives of the canine in a more stocky physique. Bears are omnivorous, climb and swim well, run fast, can stand and walk short distances on their hind legs. They have a short tail, long and thick hair, as well as excellent sense of smell and hearing. They hunt in the evening or at dawn. Usually fearful of humans, but can be dangerous in areas where they are used to humans, especially polar bears and grizzly bears. Immune to bee stings. In nature, they have almost no natural enemies.
Answer from Marina Mirutenko[guru]
Answer from Olesya Yudintseva (Yumasheva)[newbie]
100% carnivorous predators, because they eat meat and hunt. Only carnivores can hunt and eat meat, first of all, and only then fish, mushrooms, nuts, honey, berries, grass, roots. But herbivores cannot eat meat.
Answer from Lyudmila Valentinovna[guru]
the white bear, grizzly bear, spectacled bear, and many other members of the bear family eat wild berries, nuts, honey, rodents, carrion, large mammals, and other plants. FROM THE ORDER THEY ARE PREDATORS. but the koala, belonging to the marsupial bear family, is a herbivorous bear.
Answer from Iodionov Sergey[guru]
the bear is omnivorous. He eats almost everything that can be eaten. in the summer, plant foods predominate, most of the animal protein in the bear's diet is small animals. rodents. insects. the bear is engaged in hunting directly, especially hunting for large animals, extremely rarely only in the absence of more accessible and less "dangerous" food
Answer from Ѝyvind Storm of the Fjords[guru]
Bears are omnivores. In principle, they eat plant food all the time, and animal food only when it falls into their paws.
Answer from KOMOV MICHAEL[guru]
Browns are omnivores. Whites are predators
Answer from Alesya Benitsevich[newbie]
omnivorous
Answer from Marat Timirgalin[active]
omnivorous
Answer from Jena Sluchic[newbie]
Differently
Answer from Gulnara Abulkhanova[newbie]
Anatomically predatory. Teeth, that and that. And constantly on plant foods, he can not. But in recent years, in many regions, the bear is increasingly using plant foods. In this regard, its numbers are growing, in some places it is much larger than the wolf. That is, it sort of climbs off the top of the food pyramid.
Bears are the largest of the predators living on our planet, and in size and power they surpass the more famous lion and tiger. However, the bears themselves are also very popular - these animals have been familiar to people since ancient times, among the peoples of all continents they were revered as the personification of strength. People, on the one hand, bowed to the irresistible power of the bear, and on the other hand, considered it a desirable and honorable hunting trophy.
Brown bears (Ursus arctos).
In systematic terms, bears represent a small (only 8 species) and fairly homogeneous family of bears. All species of this family have a powerful body, thick strong limbs, armed with long curved claws. All bears are plantigrade, that is, when walking, they rest on the ground with the entire plane of the foot. Because of this, they are not too graceful and maneuverable in movement, the clumsy gait of a bear has become synonymous with clumsiness.
The paws of bears are wide and flat.
However, the bear is not as simple as it seems at first glance, if necessary, it can make jerks at speeds up to 50 km/h. The teeth of bears also differ from the teeth of other predators - they are relatively small, which is due to the nature of their diet. Among bears, perhaps, only white can be called a typical meat-eater, other species are practically omnivorous, and the spectacled bear is even more vegetarian than a predator. The body of all species of bears is covered with thick, coarse hair.
Black bear (Ursus americanus) during molting.
On the one hand, this fur allows bears to endure severe cold and develop the northernmost habitats, on the other hand, it slows down their spread to the south. Modern species of bears live on all continents except Africa and Australia. The koala living in Australia, although it looks like a small bear cub, has nothing to do with these animals.
Bears lead a solitary life and meet each other only for mating. At the same time, the male behaves aggressively and can kill the cubs if they are still near the mother. Bears are very caring mothers and in every possible way protect babies from danger. Different types of bears, although they retain a common typological similarity, differ from each other in appearance, habits and way of life.
Brown bear (Ursus arctos)
It is the second largest after the polar bear. The largest specimens are found in the Far East and Alaska (the so-called Kodiak bears) and reach a weight of 750 kg. Smaller subspecies can weigh as little as 80-120 kg. Brown bears are generally distinguished by a wide variety of subspecies: among them you can find animals of both small and large sizes, with a color from light straw to almost black.
This brown bear has a very light, almost white color.
This is due to the fact that the brown bear occupies the most extensive (in terms of coverage of natural areas) range, and in its different parts, animals are forced to adapt to different climatic conditions. In general, the further north, the larger the bears, and vice versa. This happens because in the north it is easier for large animals to keep warm, in the south, on the contrary, smaller specimens get an advantage. The range of the brown bear covers all of Eurasia and North America, with the exception of the extreme south of these continents. Almost everywhere, bears have become rare animals, because of the dense population and lack of territories, they simply have nowhere to live. They have survived in relatively large numbers in the sparsely populated areas of the United States, Canada, and Siberia. By the way, the American grizzly is not a separate species of bear, but just the local name for the brown bear.
A characteristic feature of this species is winter sleep, in which animals spend up to half of their lives. To do this, bears look for secluded lairs in windbreaks, caves, and in the absence of suitable shelters they dig primitive burrows. Such a den very effectively hides the bear from prying eyes all winter. Bears hibernate in October-November and wake up in March-April. All this time they really spend in a deep sleep, from which only serious danger or hunger can awaken. Hungry bears that do not have fat reserves for a successful wintering, come out of hibernation ahead of time or do not sleep at all. Such bears are called "rods". "Connecting rods" are very aggressive and can even attack a person. Usually, bears prefer solitude and try not to catch the eye of a person once again. Moreover, a bear, taken by surprise, can show shameful cowardice for such a giant. Experienced hunters are well aware that from a sudden sound, a bear can experience ... acute intestinal upset! This is where the expression “bear disease” originates.
Brown bears feed on almost everything that gets in their way. They eat berries, mushrooms, nuts and other fruits with pleasure, they will not refuse young greenery, they hunt ungulates, ranging from small roe deer to large elk. But their diet is not limited to ungulates alone; on occasion, they can fish, get shellfish, and do not disdain carrion. They especially like ants, which the bear simply licks from the surface of the anthill by the thousands. The bear will not miss the nest of wild bees or the apiary in the hope of getting honey and larvae.
A young brown bear examines the bark of a tree in search of edible living creatures.
The rivers where salmon spawn are under special control by bears. Every autumn, with the start of spawning, bears gather on their shores and begin mass fishing. To do this, the bear enters the water and patiently waits for the salmon to swim by. Fish jumping out of the water on the rapids are caught by bears literally on the fly. Due to such fishing, bears are fattened before hibernation. For the sake of this, they even forget about enmity and tolerate each other, as long as there is enough food for everyone. In search of vegetable food, bears show miracles of dexterity and easily climb even trees, which is surprising for animals of such dimensions.
Roaring males enter into fierce fights with each other.
The bear rut lasts all summer.
She-bear feeds her cubs lying down.
At the same time, bears can cripple and even kill the enemy. Pregnancy is relatively short - 6-8 months. A female bear gives birth in a dream, more precisely during hibernation 2-3 (rarely 1 or 4) cubs. Babies are born very small, weighing only 500 g. They spend the first months of their lives in a den with their mother, from where they come out already grown up.
Little cubs are very meek and obedient. This property is often used by animal trainers who raise bears from an early age. Bear cubs quickly learn tricks and perform them until about 2-3 years old. Then matured animals become dangerous and, as a rule, give way to younger ones. In nature, cubs also stay near their mother for two years. Moreover, the older cubs of the last year help the bear look after the younger ones. At the age of two years, young bears leave their mother and begin an independent life.
Polar bear (Ursus maritimus).
The largest species of bears and land predators in general. The length of large males can reach 3 m, weight - 1000 kg! The polar bear has the shortest ears among other species, this protects the animal from heat loss. Although the polar bear looks white, its fur is actually transparent because the hairs are hollow inside. But the skin of a polar bear is jet black.
The fact that the polar bear has black skin can only be guessed by looking at its feet.
This coloration is not accidental. Sunlight passes through colorless hairs and is absorbed by dark skin, thus solar energy is stored as heat on the surface of the body. Polar bear fur works like a real solar battery! The hollow hairs often become a haven for microscopic algae, which give the coat a yellowish, pinkish, and even green tint. This structure of the fur is very rational, because the polar bear lives to the north of all other species. Its habitat is circumpolar, that is, it covers the north pole in a circle.
This polar bear living in the zoo is clearly getting bored with the heat.
Polar bears can be found throughout the Arctic: on the mainland coast, remote islands and deep in the eternal polar ice. Polar bears, like no other, are prone to vagrancy, they do not have permanent protected areas. Due to the harsh living conditions, they are forced to constantly wander in search of prey. Polar bears are very well adapted to such journeys, they are very hardy, endure long-term hunger well and are excellent swimmers, which helps them to overcome large expanses of free water between continents and islands. A record is known when a polar bear spent 9 (!) days in the water. Due to global warming, the surface of the ice in the Arctic is shrinking all the time, and animals are making such forced swims more and more often.
In a foggy haze, polar bears cross the sea.
Polar bears are exclusively carnivores. They can only occasionally eat shoots of polar plants and berries in the tundra, but otherwise fish and seals form the basis of their diet. Bears lie in wait for seals near the holes in the ice, through which they come to the surface. A bear can spend several hours patiently waiting, and when prey appears, it crawls up to it, covering its dark nose with its paw. Polar bears have an exceptional sense of smell and vision, which allows them to detect prey many kilometers away. In times of famine, they do not disdain carrion, eating the carcasses of dead whales.
Two polar bears share a whale carcass. Seagulls are spinning nearby - the eternal companions of bears. They accompany predators in the hope of feasting on the remains of their prey.
In polar bears, males never hibernate, and females equip dens only in connection with the onset of pregnancy. The polar bear's den is a simple snowdrift formed by snowdrifts around the animal's body. Due to the lack of places suitable for arranging dens, females often gather on a limited territory of convenient islands, creating a kind of "maternity hospital". Bear cubs, like all bears, are born tiny and helpless, they leave the den only at 3 months of age.
A female polar bear with a cub is resting right on the snow.
Unlike brown bears, polar bears are curious and fearlessly approach human habitation. Although they are formidable predators, they rarely show aggression towards humans. But people often fall into unreasonable panic and shoot animals simply out of fear.
This bear with obvious pleasure wants to join the profession of a photographer.
Black bear, or baribal (Ursus americanus).
The range of the black bear covers almost the entire North American continent, where it often coexists with the brown bear. This species is not particularly rare, and thanks to protection in reserves, in some areas it even enters the outskirts of cities. In general, this animal resembles a medium-sized brown bear weighing 120-150 kg. But there are some differences: the black bear's fur is usually darker, the muzzle is more elongated and colored white or yellowish, the baribal's ears are relatively large, and the claws are long.
In the brood of a black bear, you can often find cubs of different colors.
These claws help the black bear climb trees, because it is an excellent climber. Baribal loves to climb and feed on trees more than other bears.
While the mother is busy looking for food, the cub learns to climb trees.
The black bear feeds on the same food as the brown one, but plant foods predominate in its diet; it never attacks large animals. Yes, and his character is more docile. Smaller, and therefore less dangerous, this bear often approaches human habitation in search of some kind of garbage.
Himalayan bear (Ursus thibetanus).
These bears are somewhat smaller than brown bears, reaching a weight of 140-150 kg.
Himalayan bears are only black in color, and on their chest they have a white or yellow spot in the form of the letter V.
The Himalayan bear has the largest ears relative to body size. The Himalayan bear lives only in the Far East, from Primorye in the north to Indochina in the south. By way of life and habits, this bear is also similar to the brown one, only its character is calmer and plant foods predominate in the diet. A distinctive feature of this species is that the bears do not arrange traditional dens, but prefer to settle down in hollows for the winter.
Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus).
The territorial neighbor of the Himalayan bear - the sloth bear also covers Southeast Asia. But the appearance of the animal is very original. Gubach is a kind of "hippie" in the bear family. What self-respecting hippie doesn't try to stand out among his surroundings?
The coloring of the sloth bear looks a lot like the Himalayan bear, but its coat is very long and thick. The claws are also of extraordinary length.
And the sponger surprises. First of all, a way to get food. The sloth eats various plants, invertebrates and other small animals. But he has a special passion for ants and termites. For the destruction of durable termite mounds, the long claws of the sloth are used. When sloth gets to the contents of the mound, he first blows air through his lips, folded with a tube, and then begins to suck insects through the gap between the front teeth. For this reason, he even lacks front incisors. During feeding, the sloth bear resembles a vacuum cleaner and makes no less noise. In other moments of his life, the sloth bear also shows carelessness: he usually sleeps during the day and, unlike other bears, does not seek to hide in the wilderness: you can catch a sleeping sloth right in the middle of some clearing, but this meeting is unlikely to be a surprise. The fact is that the sloth also snores loudly and can be heard from afar. The sloth has reasons for such behavior - it simply does not have natural enemies. The only danger may be the tiger, with which the sloth is on an equal footing. By the way, the sloth is the main contender along with the Himalayan bear for the role of Baloo from Rudyard Kipling's book. Most likely, the author had it in mind when he wrote The Jungle Book.
Malayan bear (Helarctos malyanus).
The smallest species of bears, its mass reaches only 65 kg.
His coat is very short, which makes the Malay bear look different from a "real" bear.
It lives in Indochina and on the islands of the Malay Archipelago. This beast refutes the myth that a bear can only be found in the northern taiga.
Perhaps the Malayan bear is the only one that can be seen on a palm tree.
It is omnivorous, but due to its small size it preys only on small animals. This bear does not hibernate.
Malayan bears in the zoo.
Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus).
The only representative of the bear family that lives in South America. It inhabits mountains and foothill forests. This is a medium sized animal.
The spectacled bear got its name because of the round spots around the eyes, resembling glasses.
The spectacled bear is the most herbivorous of all. This is a very rare animal that few people managed to see in natural conditions. The world's leading zoos are participating in the spectacled bear breeding program.
A spectacled bear cub studies zoo visitors from behind a fence.
And where is the panda - the most interesting species of bears? But whether a panda is a bear is a question that has haunted scientists so far. Many zoologists tend to believe that the panda is not a bear at all, but a giant representative of the raccoon family. For this reason, the story about pandas is on a separate page.
The Bears considered the largest of the predators now living on our planet. Despite this, they are more likely than other predatory mammals to prefer plant foods over animal meat.
Bear appearance
Teeth and claws: The fangs of bears are quite powerful, as in other predatory animals. The molars have a flat, uneven, chewing surface. This is due to a mixed diet, bears eat both animal and plant foods. Each paw has five long toes with large and sharp claws that do not retract. With the help of this tool, bears dig out edible roots and fruits from the ground. In addition, with sharp claws, the predator tears the prey into small pieces.
Sense organs: Bears have small, set close to each other eyes. The fields of view of both eyes overlap, so the animal sees objects as three-dimensional. In general, bears have poor eyesight. Hearing is also not very well developed. The bear has a better sense of smell. The bear often stands up on its hind legs and turns its head around to explore its nose and get information about its surroundings.
Communication: Bears communicate with each other through sounds and body movements. For example, the position of an animal's ears conveys information about the owner's mood. Having met, the bears raise their heads to each other and growl without opening their mouths. The flat teeth of a bear will grind any food. A giant brown bear catches fish in the rivers.
Ways to travel: Bears have rather short limbs. They walk, leaning on the entire surface of the foot. The paws of bears are curved in the shape of the letter "O", so these animals are clubfoot and walk, waddling from side to side. But, when danger arises or when pursuing prey, bears are able to trot and even gallop. In case of danger, the bear stands on its hind legs. Cubs and adults of some species climb trees and swim, and the polar bear is the only mammal that swims only with the help of its forelimbs.
Body Structure: Various they differ in size, but their structure is similar: a powerful body, short strong paws, a massive head and a very short tail.
Coat: Bear hair comes in several types, ranging from the thick yellowish-white coat of the polar bear to the long, fluffy coat of the Gubach. The fur of most species of bears has a brown color, perfectly camouflages animals in the forest.
Did you know? That a giant brown bear living in North America is called "Kodiak" in other languages. This is the name of the island on which these representatives of the subspecies are found. A bear standing on its hind legs can reach up to 3 m in height.
The polar bear can be found in the open sea at a distance of 80 km from the coast.
Bears walk slowly, waddling, but if necessary, they can reach speeds of up to 50 km / h. The grizzly's menu is 80% plant based.
The ranges of the polar bear and arctic fox are located in the Far North. They are hardy mammals. Almost all bears are on the verge of extinction and are protected by law.
Once upon a time, many brown bears lived in Europe. Now their numbers have declined, but they still remain the most numerous species in the family. The polar bear in the past was an object of fishing. People ate his meat and sewed clothes from his skin.
The polar bear is better than other animals acclimatized in the permafrost area.
Seven species of bears belonging to four genera live mainly in the Northern Hemisphere. Only the spectacled bear lives in the south. All bears, with the exception of the polar bear, which inhabits the snow-covered Arctic deserts, are inhabitants of dense forests. Their only enemy is man. Now only two species of bears are not threatened with extinction.
Origin of bears
The first bear, the ancestor of all modern species of bears, (Ursavus), who lived on Earth 20 million years ago. It was the size of a small dog and inhabited the territory of modern Europe, where at that time a hot subtropical climate dominated, rich in generous vegetation. Bears, along with foxes, dogs and raccoons, descend from their common ancestor - a small predator of the Miacidae family, who lived 30-40 million years ago and climbed trees. As a result of evolution, new types of bears arose, which gradually became larger, larger and stronger. Many, including the cave bear, which was larger than modern bears, died out. The youngest species in the family is the polar bear, which appeared 70,000 years ago.
- Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus): body length 1.3-1.8 m. The only representative of the family in South America.
- Malayan bear (Helarctos malayanus): body length 1-1.4 m. This small member of the family lives in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Occurs rarely.
- Gubach (Melursus ursinus): body length 1.4-1.8 m. Lives in the jungles of India and Sri Lanka. Herbivorous. It picks up termites and insects with its lips and tongue.
- Polar bear (Ursus maritimus): body length 1.8-3 m. Inhabits the northern regions of the Arctic, feeds mainly on seals.
- Brown bear (Ursus arctos): 2-3 m long, lives in North America, Europe and Asia. There are several subspecies: the grizzly bear, the giant brown bear, and the European brown bear.
- Baribal, black bear (Ursus americanus): body length 1.3-1.8 m, found in the forests of North America. Like other members of the family, it eats a mixed diet.
- White-breasted bear (Ursus thibetanus): body length 1.4-2 m. Lives in forests and spends most of its time in trees. It feeds on herbs, fruits and berries.
bear breeding
Bears live alone, meeting only during the breeding season. The mating season, depending on the species, falls at different times of the year. Some types of bears, in particular the Malayan, can breed throughout the year - they live in tropical rainforests, where they have enough food. In addition, the Malayan bear is monogamous. After mating, the male and female separate. Only the she-bear is engaged in the upbringing of the offspring.
The duration of pregnancy is 180-250 days and depends on the type of bears. The bear brood consists of 1-4 cubs, which are born blind, toothless, covered with sparse hair. They spend at least a year in the family nest, feeding on their mother's milk. The polar bear never lacks food and therefore does not fall into winter sleep. However, pregnant females and mothers with cubs fall into hibernation. In spring, the she-bear leaves the den, accompanied by fluffy and playful cubs. The cubs relentlessly follow her, learning to find food and recognize danger. Bears of various species reach sexual maturity at the age of 2.5-5 years.
Lifestyle of bears
Bears are territorial animals. Each individual is the owner of a fairly large area, controls where it hunts and hibernates. Females live with cubs for up to two years. Bears are avid loners, but in places rich in food, for example, in a berry meadow, several individuals can be found at once. When they are satisfied, they disperse. But the bear invaded someone else's territory, waiting for a meeting with the owner, which may end in a collision. The search for food takes a lot of time, so the bears are active both day and night. Bears sleep in disguised shelters - lairs, which are located in depressions under the roots of trees. The white-breasted bear builds a nest in a tree. Bears of the genus Ursus, living in cold climatic zones, hibernate in winter. Winter sleep lasts from 78 to 200 days. The exact time depends on the area. During hibernation, bears make a lair for themselves among the windbreak, under the roots of trees, or dig it on the slopes of mountains and hills. They line and insulate their dens with grass, leaves and moss. Bears go into long hibernation in order to survive the hungry winter period.