Bears are the largest land predators on our planet. Currently, there are several species of them on earth.

The largest is the white or polar bear. It reaches three meters in length and weighs up to 1000 kg. Habitat: Arctic region and islands of the Arctic Ocean.

The smallest is the koala bear. The size of this herbivorous bear is no more than 60 cm, and its weight is 12-13 kg. The koala is endemic to Australia and lives only on this continent.

Description

Bears belong to the class of mammals, to the order Carnivora, to the bear family; they exist on earth for about 6 million. From time immemorial, these animals have been considered by most peoples to be a symbol of strength and power. And in our time, these far from ordinary animals deserve respect and appropriate treatment.

Outwardly, all bears look rather clumsy: a large, massive body, clubbed paws and the habit of leaning on the entire foot when walking make its gait somewhat swaying from side to side. The body of bears is covered with thick fur, with colors depending on the species: polar bears are white, brown bears are brown, pandas are two-colored, black and white, etc. Bears with dark fur noticeably turn gray with age and become almost gray in old age.

A large head, on a short powerful neck, rounded ears, and a large, terrifying mouth with powerful jaws, studded with large sharp teeth, capable of easily chewing any food, both plant and meat. With the help of its large and sharp claws, the bear can easily climb trees or, tearing up the ground, extract food from underground. Despite their external clumsiness, they have a very quick reaction when necessary. The strength and especially sharpness of the blow of the clawed paw of such an animal gives it the opportunity to deal with the enemy with one blow. In moments of danger or when attacked, this predator can run at speeds of up to 50 km/h. Most of them are excellent swimmers. And the polar bear, which spends a lot of time in the water, has special membranes between its toes that help it when swimming.

People often ask: does a bear have a tail? Yes, there is, but it is clearly visible only in the giant panda; in other species it is so short that it is practically indistinguishable among the fur. Another feature is that bears do not have particularly acute eyesight, but they have excellent hearing and smell. Bears often stand on their hind legs and, turning in different directions, using hearing and smell, can receive information about who is out of sight. This animal can smell a person’s scent from several kilometers away. The lifespan of most bears reaches 45 years.

All bears prefer secluded places located away from humans. For forest species these are dense forests with ponds and swamps, for polar bears these are the Arctic and the northern islands, for pandas these are bamboo thickets, and for koalas these are eucalyptus groves.

Depending on the species, their diet is different. Most bears eat mainly plant foods, such as berries, mushrooms, nuts, and roots. If possible, they do not refuse fish and small animals. Older males hunt large animals such as deer, elk, and wild boar. Polar bears feed on fish, seals and other marine animals living in the northern seas. The panda eats bamboo shoots, and the koala eats eucalyptus leaves.

Types of bears

Currently, there are 9 main species of bears in nature:

Brown, Latin Ursus. This is the most common species, forming about 20 subspecies, the so-called geographical races, which differ in both size and color. The appearance of a brown bear is almost typical for the entire species. A powerful body covered with thick, evenly colored hair, powerful paws with long, up to 10 cm, non-retractable claws, a massive head with rounded ears, and round eyes. The largest brown ones are found in Kamchatka and Alaska. One of the subspecies is the famous grizzly bear, the largest on the American continent - up to 700 kg. with a height of up to 3 meters. European brown bears average up to 1.2-2 meters in length, height at the withers up to 1 meter, and weight up to 400 kg. Those living in Russia generally weigh about 600 kg. Males are one and a half times larger than females.

The color of brown bears varies significantly not only depending on their habitat, but often within the same region. The color ranges from light brown to almost black. Grizzlies in the Rocky Mountains have whitish fur at the ends. The Himalayan often displays a white-grayish color, while in Syria they are reddish-brown in color. Starting in spring and almost all summer, and sometimes until autumn, bears molt and throughout this period they look unkempt and shabby. But after shedding, the new coat looks brighter.

The habitat of the brown bear is very wide: It is found from the Far East in Russia, throughout Asia, in the forests and mountains of Europe, in Scandinavia, in England and Ireland, in North America. The most famous types of brown bear are: Eurasian, Siberian, Tien Shan, Ussuri, Mexican, grizzly. One species, the so-called spectacled one, is also found in South America. The diet of bears living on different continents corresponds to the plant and animal resources of their habitats. For the winter they go into hibernation, constructing dens for this in lowlands, ravines, among stones or tree trunks, and strengthening all this with branches.

White or polar, lat. Ursus maritimus or in Chukchi - umka, and in Eskimo - nanuk, the largest of all. The length of its body can be more than 3 meters, and its weight is about a ton. The polar bear is half land, half sea animal and therefore it differs in appearance from its land relatives. Living in the Arctic Ocean region for millions of years, this predator has perfectly adapted to the cold northern climate. Regardless of the time of year, he spends most of his time in water, which, even in severe frosts, is naturally warmer than the surrounding air. It has a more elongated body, a long neck, larger and longer paws compared to the body with membranes between the toes, like large oars. All this improves its excellent swimming capabilities. And the hairs of wool are tubes that are hollow inside, providing high heat resistance and increasing buoyancy. The undercoat is a kind of heat insulator that helps retain heat even at the lowest outside temperatures. The coat color varies from yellowish to pure white. The soles of the paws are also covered with hair, only coarser. It allows him to easily move on the ice.

The polar bear feeds on various fish, which are abundant in the polar seas, and marine animals, mainly seals, which have large reserves of fat, which the polar bear processes into its own fat, which allows it to survive the long polar winter.

The polar bear's habitat is the entire Arctic region of the Northern Hemisphere. The breeding sites are strictly determined by the bears themselves; these are the Wrangel Islands or Franz Josef Land. For many years now, these islands have become protected areas and every year mother bears make more than 200 dens on them, which they dig in the snow under layers of ice. There, mother bears raise cubs and usually take care of them for up to two years, until they become independent.

Almost extinct several decades ago, these, one of the most beautiful animals on earth, have now replenished their genus to such an extent that they often cause great concern to people living in the Arctic. They unceremoniously invade villages, weather stations, geologists, oil and gas production sites, and almost any habitat of northerners. People, understanding the difficulties these animals face, try in every possible way to help them, mainly with food in the winter.

Black or baribal, lat. Ursus americanus is a North American bear. It lives in Alaska, Canada, most US states and Mexico. There are 16 species of black bear. Outwardly, it is similar to its brown relative. However, it is somewhat smaller in size and covered with black, sometimes blue, fur. The size of an adult black bear rarely exceeds 2 meters and weighs 300 kg. Females are no more than one and a half meters in length. They have a peculiar pointed muzzle, rather long legs, at the end of which there are short feet.

These bears are born gray or brown, and only turn black around the age of three. Baribals feed mainly on plant foods: nuts, acorns, berries, rowan fruits, clover and other herbs and roots. Do not refuse insects such as termites, ants, bees. If possible, fish and small animals are caught. Sometimes they attack livestock. Occasionally they climb into apiaries, gardens, and ranches. People are attacked very rarely.

Himalayan or white-breasted, lat. Ursus thibetanus, much smaller in size than the brown one. The length is just over one and a half meters, the height at the withers is about 75-80 cm, females are even smaller. Outwardly, it has its own differences: a slimmer body, an elongated muzzle, large rounded ears. The color of the coat is shiny black, on the chest there is a white or yellowish spot shaped like a crescent. The main habitat is the Himalayas, but is found in the Far East, Altai, China, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Burma, Japan, and less commonly in Afghanistan and Iran.

In the Himalayas, in the summer it climbs into the mountains to a height of up to 4000 m, and in the winter it descends into the valleys. Prefers to be located in trees. It feeds on plant foods: acorns, nuts, tree fruits, grass shoots and roots. If possible, it eats frogs, mollusks, and insects, and does not disdain carrion. It avoids people and does not attack. For the winter, it makes dens in the hollows of old trees and hibernates. Lives 25 years. The enemies of the Himalayan bear are brown bears and tigers.

Gubach, lat. Melursus ursinus. The bear is medium in size, body length is about 1.8 meters, height at the withers is up to 90 cm. Females are much smaller. The sloth fish has a rather massive body with a large head. Covered with long black shaggy fur, on the neck forming a kind of shaggy, unkempt mane. The sloth fish has a light-colored spot on its chest that resembles the letter V. Its paws have long, curved claws, thanks to which it can climb trees quite easily.

The sloth bear, like an anteater, has adapted to feed on termites. It has an elongated snout with protruding lips and a long tongue, which it can use as a powerful pump. With its large curved claws, it easily breaks termite mounds, and then, folding its lips into a tube and using its long tongue, it sucks out the termites themselves and their larvae from the fragments of the termite mound. To prevent termites from getting into your nose, your nostrils can close tightly. Because of the appearance of its tube-shaped muzzle, it received this name. In addition to termites, it feeds on any plants and their fruits. If possible, it can kill any animal that is smaller in size. He has almost no rivals, except for the tiger, when faced with which he does not retreat, but enters into a fight with them and often wins. The habitat of the sloth fish is southeast Asia: India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh.

Spectacled, lat. Tremarctos ornatus. Medium size, body length from 1.5 to 1.8 meters, height at the withers up to 80 cm. The muzzle is not very wide and rather short. Covered with shaggy black or black-brown fur. Its eyes are framed by light fur, forming rings similar to glasses, which is how it gets its name. On the neck there is also lighter hair, forming a kind of collar. The spectacled bear is the only bear of all bears living in the Southern Hemisphere, namely in the countries of South America: Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador.

Spectacled bears live in remote places and therefore have been little studied. It is believed that this is a herbivorous animal, feeding on plant fruits, roots, shoots of grass and plants, termites and ants. Sometimes they raid cultivated corn crops. There is evidence that sometimes spectacled bears attack vicuñas and guanacos, and when there is a lack of food, they also eat carrion. Cases of attacks on humans are very rare, and are provoked by the people themselves. Spectacled bears are active at dusk and sleep during the day. They stay awake all year round and do not hibernate in winter.

Malay or biruang, lat. Helarctos malayanus. The length of the largest does not exceed one and a half meters, and the height at the withers is slightly more than half a meter. An adult Malayan bear weighs about 60 kg. He is quite stocky in build, has a wide, short muzzle and small, rounded ears. The canines are small in size, the molars are flat and adapted for grinding plant foods. Covered with short, stiff, black, sometimes brown hair. There is a V-shaped spot of golden color on the chest, strong legs with unusually large paws and thick curved claws adapted for climbing trees.

Leads a nocturnal lifestyle and sleeps during the day. In principle, biruangs are omnivores, feeding on insects, worms, fruits and shoots of plants, and roots. They easily climb palm trees, collecting bananas and coconuts. Their strong jaws allow them to easily crack coconuts. They catch small rodents, lizards, and birds. They do not disdain carrion. Wild bees are very fond of honey, which is successfully extracted with the help of an incredibly long tongue from tree hollows, where the bees arrange their honeycombs with honey. Some adapt to living near villages, which annoys local residents. They unceremoniously come to rummage through trash, attack livestock, destroy plantations with crops, as well as banana and coconut plantings. Malayan bears live in the forests of the subtropical and tropical zones, in the foothills of Southeast Asia: in Thailand, Indonesia, and southern China. Life expectancy is 20 years.

Bamboo bear or big panda, lat. Ailuropoda melanoleuca. These are very popular, cute two-colored herbivorous animals. The panda has a squat, massive body, a large head with large ears and short legs with sharp claws. The fur is thick, with black and white spots. These bears are adapted to life in bamboo thickets, which serve as their food. The inner surface of the soles of the paws is devoid of wool and this will allow them to easily handle smooth bamboo stems. Powerful jaws and flattened teeth allow them to grind bamboo stems like millstones. Pandas live only in the mountainous regions of China, Tibet and Sichuan province in southern China.

Pandas are a very rare species; it is believed that there are just over 2,000 of them in the wild. The only country where pandas still live in small numbers is Japan, whose emperor, Tenji, was given them by the Chinese Empress Wu Zetian in the sixth century. Many zoos around the world want to have these exotic animals, but the Chinese do not allow the export of pandas to other countries; they consider them a national treasure. The only option is a lease for 10 years with a payment of 1 million US dollars per year and guarantees that the cubs born during this time are the property of China.

Marsupial bear, koala, lat. Phascolarctos cinereus. This is one of the most unusual animals. His appearance resembles a toy teddy bear. A round body covered with smoky gray fur, a large head with large ears like a Cheburashka, front paws similar to human hands and a black leathery nose, almost like a parrot’s beak, make it very cute. In addition, the koala is a representative of marsupials, like most animals of Australia, the only continent in the world on which it lives.

The marsupial bear's only food is eucalyptus leaves, which is why they live only in those regions of Australia where there are eucalyptus groves. Thanks to strong paws and sharp claws, the koala can easily climb trees, where it spends almost its entire life. They very rarely descend to the ground. It has long been believed that koalas do not drink water at all, but this is not so, they settle near water sources and in extreme heat they go to the water and drink it.

Despite the fact that eucalyptus leaves contain hydrocyanic acid, the marsupial bear has a kind of antidote. In addition, at different times of the year, koalas use different types of eucalyptus for food. Every day this bear eats up to one kilogram of eucalyptus leaves. The koala's maximum height is just over half a meter, and its weight is within 10 kg. At one time, Europeans hunted koalas intensively, which led to their noticeable decline. Now they are protected and even tried to breed them in captivity.

Lifestyle

Of all the bears, only polar bears are real predators, and in the specifics of their habitat, in the ice of the Arctic, they simply have nothing else to eat except fish and animals. Although they do not refuse berries and other plant foods in the summer. The rest prefer plant foods. Siberian and Kamchatka are excellent fishermen. They choose places on river riffles and settle there during spawning, catching nutritious red fish. Summer is an opportunity for all bears to replenish their diet with vitamins, so they can often be seen in places where berries grow, they especially love raspberries. It is in raspberry fields that they most often meet people. But if you do not show a feeling of fear, it is quite possible to part ways with them peacefully, but under no circumstances should you run away, because at these moments the hunting instinct awakens in them, and it is not very easy to escape from a bear. Be that as it may, it is better not to meet bears, so when going to places where they live, it is better to find out from local residents where they were most often seen, and not go there.

Quite often, people try to domesticate little bear cubs left without a mother, because they are very funny, but this does not lead to anything good. Keeping this wild animal at home, even from the very first days, is far from safe. The bear is a strong and dangerous predator, and over time, the animal instinct still awakens in it. For this animal, its home is natural conditions that cannot be replaced.

Bears are a very large group of animals inhabiting modern nature, which people have destroyed for a long time, and they could completely disappear from our land. Therefore, it is necessary to do everything necessary to preserve them for the future of humanity. For this purpose, many countries have developed programs for the conservation of bears as a species, but the main thing is the attitude of people towards these peculiar animals, equal inhabitants of our planet.

The bear family (Ursidae) includes the largest representatives of the order of carnivores (Carnivora), as well as some of the most intelligent animals on our planet. And although bears are predatory animals, they all eat food of plant origin, since in fact they are omnivores. Some species have evolved so far from a meat-based diet that they have become almost exclusively vegetarian. Currently, there are 8 species of bears divided into 5 genera.

White or polar bear (Ursus maritimus)- the largest and also the most carnivorous of all bears. Males weigh on average approximately 450-500 kg, often reaching a weight of 800 kg, and in rare cases even a whole ton. The weight of females averages about 320 kg. Compared to its brown relative, the polar bear has a more slender physique: it has an elongated format, it has a long neck and a relatively smaller head. The polar bear's paws are simply huge. Its claws are much shorter than those of a brown bear, but slightly thicker and sharper. Such claws are necessary for a polar bear to climb on how many ice floes.
All bears are good swimmers and most of them love water, but the polar bear is the best swimmer of all. This is a tireless traveler who can cover truly enormous distances in a day, both by land and by swimming. There have been cases when polar bears were encountered several hundred kilometers from the nearest shore or ice floe.

Brown bear (Ursus arctos)- the most common species of bear, capable of adapting to a wide variety of habitats. Brown bears feel great in the taiga, semi-deserts, mountains and beyond the Arctic Circle.
Due to the huge distribution area of ​​the brown bear, many subspecies have formed, which differ greatly from each other in size and appearance. There is probably no other animal on Earth that exhibits such a range in weight. The smallest bears of this species weigh about 100 kg (sometimes even less), and the weight of the largest ones sometimes reaches a whole ton and they are not inferior in size to a polar bear. The largest subspecies of brown bear is the Kodiak. It was the bear of this subspecies that reached a record size among all predators - the weight of this giant was almost one and a half tons. However, nevertheless, it is polar bears that are considered the largest, since on average they are noticeably larger than brown bears, whose maximum weight even for very large males usually does not exceed 800 kg. Other giant subspecies of brown bear include the Kamchatka and Ussuri brown bears, slightly inferior to the grizzly bear. Among the smallest are the Syrian and Himalayan brown bears, as well as brown bears from Europe.

Black bear, or baribal (Ursus americanus) found exclusively in North America, where it is much more widespread than the brown bear.
Baribal is in many ways similar to its closest relative, the brown bear, but it is noticeably smaller in size, it has a narrower head and larger ears (at least they seem larger). The weight of baribal is usually approximately 150-200 kg, but sometimes the weight of some males exceeds 250 kg. The coat color is black or dark brown, the muzzle is always lighter. The claws of this bear are large, but they are very different from the brown claws: they are much sharper and more curved, since this bear often climbs trees and climbs quite well, given its considerable weight.

Himalayan, white-breasted, or Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus) approximately the size of a baribal, but noticeably different from it in the structure of the skull. The coat color is the same as that of a black bear, but there is always a white spot on the chest in the shape of the Latin letter "V". The coat is coarse and long.
The Himalayan bear is a serious and very brave animal. He hunts infrequently, but he can easily take prey from a leopard, and sometimes even (in rare cases) from a Bengal tiger.

Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) a very unique look. Its diet is based on termites and ants. Due to the specifics of its diet, the sponge fish has acquired a number of features: a pair of incisors on the upper jaw are missing, a long tongue and large mobile lips, thanks to which it received its Russian name. The claws of the sloth bear are not inferior in size to the claws of the brown bear and they look simply terrifying, especially relative to the size of this small bear. Such claws are necessary for the sponger to destroy hard termite mounds. In addition to insects, the sloth fish also eats other small animals, bird eggs, etc.
The color of the sloth bear is similar to that of the Himalayan bear, with the same characteristic spot on the chest. The coat is long and shaggy. Sponge whales weigh on average 80-100 kg, but some males can reach 140 kg.

Malayan bear, or biruang (Helarctos malayanus)- the smallest of the bear family. Usually they weigh about 40-50 kg, sometimes less, or a little more. The coat is black, short and close-lying. There is a white spot on the chest in the shape of the Latin letter "V". The biruang is not picky when it comes to food. He eats everything he can get. The diet is based on earthworms, termites, bees and the fruits of various trees, on which it climbs well.

Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus)- the only representative of the bear family in South America. The spectacled bear prefers mountain forests, but sometimes descends into more open spaces. Often climbs trees and is a good climber. Along with the giant panda, this is the most herbivorous of the bears. The weight of a spectacled bear is approximately 100-150 kg, on average about 130.

Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)- the most unique type of bear. For a long time, there was debate among scientists about which family the giant panda should belong to, the raccoonidae or the bearidae. However, it has now become clear that despite a number of features that bring it closer to raccoons, the panda nevertheless belongs to the bear family. The similarity of the giant panda with representatives of the raccoon family is determined by the specifics of its diet, that is, this is nothing more than convergence (if you look at the skull of this animal, you can see that it is very similar to the skull of the striped raccoon). The giant panda feeds almost exclusively on young bamboo shoots. This is a tightly built animal with a massive head and short legs. Her fangs are smaller than those of other bears, but, nevertheless, quite thick. The weight of a giant panda ranges from about 80 to 125 kg (on average about 100).

Photos:

Polar bear.

Brown bear.

Black bear, or baribal.

Himalayan bear.

Sloth bear.

Malayan bear.

Spectacled bear.

Big panda.

The bear family (Ursidae) includes the largest of modern land predators. Most taxonomists believe that there are currently eight species of bears on Earth (they are in turn divided into many different subspecies), belonging to three different branches.

Bears are found on all continents except Africa, Australia and Antarctica. Three species of bears - spectacled, sloth and Malayan - live in the tropics, but the center of origin of the bear family is in the Northern Hemisphere. Long ago, the brown bear was also found in the Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa.

Bears are predominantly inhabitants of various types of forests and woodlands. One species, the polar bear, inhabits Arctic deserts and ice.

The most likely ancestors of modern bears were small predators that lived 25 million years ago (subfamily Agriotheriinae). The most ancient representative of this group, Ursavus elmensis, had a long tail and looked like a raccoon, but animals of a later period already resembled modern bears in both size and appearance. This group gave rise to three modern subfamilies. The giant panda was the first to separate from the common trunk, then the real bears (Ursus and its relatives) and spectacled bears (Tremarctos) separated.

Depending on the species, the body length of a predator can vary from 1 to 3 meters, the weight of individual polar and brown bears can reach up to 1000 kg. Males are much larger than females.

Bears have a heavy, awkward build. To support the large mass, their hind limbs are plantigrade (when walking, the entire sole is pressed to the ground). This also allows them to rise and stand freely on their hind legs. The structure of the front paws is different in different types of bears - from plantigrade to semidigital (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 spectacled bears). Wide molars with flat chewing surfaces and rounded fangs are well adapted for crushing and grinding plant foods. Polar bears are exclusively carnivores, which is why their teeth are sharper. Depending on the species, bears have 40-42 teeth.

Bears' fur is thick and long; The color is usually dark, monochromatic, from brown to black (as an exception, white or contrasting two-color), sometimes with a light pattern on the head and chest. The tail is very short; ears are small, round; the lips are large and very mobile.

Polar bears and most brown bears of the New World 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 tree-climbing predators, bears have amazing features - their tails are too short and their facial whiskers are completely absent.

Most species of bears are non-specialized omnivores that feed on 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 good memory, which allows them to remember places rich in food. It should be noted that bears do not digest plant food very well, since their gastrointestinal tract does not contain symbiotic microorganisms capable of decomposing fiber (these bacteria are found in the stomach of ruminants). Therefore, plant fibers and berries are excreted from the body almost undigested.

Photos and descriptions of modern bear species

Now let’s take a closer look at each of the eight species of bears.

The brown bear or common bear (Ursus arctos) is a typical representative of the bear family; found in Russia, Canada and Alaska. It prefers to settle in old forest areas, avoids wide open spaces, but can live at an altitude of up to 5000 meters above sea level, where there are no longer forests. 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, its height at the shoulders is up to 1.5 m. Males weigh from 60 to 800 kg. The weight of adult predators varies depending on the time of year and geographic habitat. The smallest is the pika 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. Its body length is 2-2.5 m, height at the withers is about 1.5 m, 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 contamination with fat, 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, bearded seals, beluga whales and narwhals.

The photo shows 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 this article.

Black bear

The black bear or baribal (Ursus americanus) is found in Canada, Northern Mexico, the USA, except the central part of the Great Plains. Lives in dense forests, bushes, and also in more open areas.

The size of the black bear varies depending on geographic location and season. In the northern and eastern regions of its range, the baribal is larger. Their body length varies from 1.2 to 1.9 meters, height at the withers - 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, in Northern China, Primorye, Japan and Taiwan. Prefers to settle in forests of the temperate zone, subtropics and tropics.

Body length is 1.2-1.9 meters, weight of males is 60-200 kg, females are 40-140 kg. Because of its long fur, the Himalayan bear appears much larger than it actually is. The coat is black with a white V-shaped mark on the chest, another mark is on the chin; There is a collar of long wool around the neck. Apparently, the collar plays a role in protection from predators, because this species has always coexisted next to the tiger.

The white-breasted bear is an excellent tree climber and often builds something resembling a nest by bending branches to the trunk.

The Himalayan bear is a rare, vulnerable species. For 3 thousand years now, people have been hunting it for its paws and gall bladder (dried bile is used in traditional Chinese medicine).

The life expectancy of the Himalayan bear is up to 25 years in the wild and up to 37 years in captivity.

Malayan bear

The Malayan bear or biruang (Helarctos malayanus) is the smallest species of bear, sometimes called the “dog bear”. Due to their small size and friendly disposition, Buriangs are often kept in captivity as pets in Asia. Their body length does not exceed 140 cm, they weigh 27-65 kilograms. Malayan bears have short, black fur with a white, orange, or dark yellow crescent-shaped chest marking.

Malayan bears are found in Southeast Asia and Eastern 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, and Sri Lanka. Found mainly in lowland forests and steppes.

Body length – 1.4-1.9 meters, weight – 80-190 kg. The sponge's coat is long, thick, black with a white spot on the chest. Its claws are slightly curved, its palate is wide, and its lips are elongated (this is how it got its name). These devices help the sloth fish dig up and suck up termites, which make up a significant part of its diet. And it received its generic name (Melursus) for its special love for honey: it often climbs trees and is ready to endure bee stings just to feast on honeycombs. In addition to termites, other various insects and honey, the sloth fish eats berries with pleasure.

The sloth fish has long fur, which is quite surprising for a species living in the tropical forest. 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, alpine 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-like marking on the chin, neck, and chest; There are white markings of various shapes around the eyes (hence the name bear).

The spectacled bear is a rather slender animal. Despite its relatively large size, it is agile and climbs trees well, where it gets food and builds resting nests from branches and twigs.

In different habitats, the diet of spectacled bears varies, but everywhere food of plant origin predominates (fruits, bamboo, cacti, etc.). They also enter fields of grain crops and corn, which greatly annoys farmers.

In captivity, the spectacled bear lives up to 39 years.

Big panda

The giant panda or bamboo bear (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is found in the Sichuan, Shanxi and Gansu provinces of central and western China. Prefers cool, damp bamboo forests at an altitude of 1500-3400 meters above sea level.

The height of a giant panda at the withers is 70-80 cm, weight is 100-150 kg. The fur of the bamboo bear is black and white (the circles around the eyes, the area around the nose, the front and back legs and shoulders are black, everything else is white).

The diet consists primarily of bamboo; Occasionally, pandas eat bulbs of various plants, cereals, insects and rodents.

In the wild, a panda usually lives up to 20 years, in captivity - up to 30 years.

Today, enormous efforts have been made to preserve the giant panda, however, despite the most stringent ban, the animals still become victims of poachers. They also fall into traps set for other animals. Read more about the giant panda.

What types of bears are the most dangerous?

Bears are often spoken of 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 true predators, are perhaps the only representatives of the family that actually sometimes perceive a person as prey, while tracking him down according to all the rules of hunting. Their attacks are caused 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.

Brown bears are in second place in terms of danger to humans, but their aggressiveness largely depends on their geographical habitat. Grizzlies in the center of the American continent, as well as bears living in Siberia, are truly dangerous. This is especially true for mother bears who protect their cubs, or animals who defend their prey. More aggressive individuals are found in the eastern regions of Europe. But in general, all bears, like other wild animals, try not to get in the way of humans and, if possible, avoid meeting them.

American black bears, especially those that live near humans, often frighten people, but very rarely cause them any harm.

Spectacled bears are very cautious and are 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 does not pose any danger to humans.

Malayan bears often frighten local residents. If they are accidentally disturbed, they usually rear up, let out a furious roar and make a sharp lunge towards the enemy, but they rarely actually attack.

Himalayan bears and sloth bears, which often have to fight off large cats, are more likely to attack than to flee. Many people believe that sloth bears are more dangerous than tigers.

Literature: Mammals: Complete illustrated encyclopedia /Translated from English/ Book. I. Carnivores, marine mammals, primates, tupayas, woolly wings. / Ed. D. MacDonald. – M: “Omega”, - 2007.

In contact with

Bears are among the most dangerous animals on the planet. Not surprising, because giants have a powerful body, large and strong paws, and sharp claws. All animals of this species have a tail and are underestimated by many people, since the latter consider them clumsy and slow. In fact, the bear is able to run fast, swim well, climb trees well, and even walk short distances on its hind legs.

Origin and characteristics of bears

Mammals belong to the group of canids. It follows from this that the ancestors of bears can be wolves, foxes, and jackals. Today it has been established that animals can grow from 1.2 to 3 meters, their weight can vary from 40 kg to 1 ton. Some species are predators, while others feed on plants, berries and other delicacies. The average lifespan of an animal is 45 years.

There are several classifications of bears, which differ in the size of the animals, their habitat and other features. Let's look at some of them.

Main types of bears

You can meet a bear almost everywhere, be it in the highlands, forests or Arctic ice. There is a basic classification of mammals:

Brown bears

Brown bears live in tundras, forests, coastlines and alpine meadows. Animals hibernate in winter and are quite aggressive if someone disturbs their sleep. It is almost impossible to escape from a predator.

Video about brown bears

Grizzly

Grizzly bears are one of the largest predators on the planet. The maximum height of a bear can be 2.8 meters, weight - more than 600 kg. This representative of the family loves fish and is an excellent fisherman.

Video about Grizzly bear

Spectacled bear

The spectacled bear is a herbivorous animal. A characteristic feature of the mammal is the white spots located around the eyes. The animal is also distinguished by a rounded head and a short snout. You can meet a bear in South America.

Video about the spectacled bear

Sloth bear (or sloth bear) - the animal received its name due to its pronounced and mobile lips. The bear differs from its “brothers” by its hard, shaggy fur coat and white muzzle. Today, the sponge fish is listed in the Red Book, as it is on the verge of extinction. The habitat of the mammal is India.

Video about sloth fish

- Today it lives only in Australia. The bear is called a marsupial; representatives of this species are the only ones of their kind. Mammals are excellent at climbing trees and look quite friendly.

Little panda

Red panda - previously the animals were classified as raccoons, because in appearance they look like big cats. Today, the red panda is considered a bear, since its character is similar to this family.

Extinct bears

There are several representatives of the mammal family that, unfortunately, became extinct and could not preserve their species to this day. These include:

California grizzly - in 1922, the last representative of this species of animals was killed.

Mexican grizzly

The Mexican grizzly left our planet in the 60s of the 20th century. The bear's characteristic features were white claws on its front paws, small ears and a high forehead.

Etruscan bear– there is a second name for the animal – short-faced. Disappeared about 2.5 million years ago.

Atlas bear– the last animal was killed in 1870. A distinctive feature was a white spot on the muzzle and fur that shimmered in red.

Giant polar bear

Giant polar bear - the animal is believed to have grown up to 4 meters and weighed about 1200 kg. Mysterious giants lived more than 100 thousand years ago.

Today, a large number of bears are listed in the Red Book and are on the verge of extinction. This is facilitated by climate change, as well as negative human impacts.