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Polar bear (Ursus maritimus). Brown bear (common) What type of animal is the bear

Bears or bears (lat. Ursidae) - a family that includes mammals from the order of predatory animals. The difference between all bears and other canine animals is represented by a stockier and well-developed physique.

Description of the bear

All mammals from the order Carnivores originate from a group of marten-like primitive predators, which are known as miacids (Miacidae), who lived in the Paleocene and Eocene. All bears belong to the fairly numerous suborder Caniformia. It is assumed that all well-known representatives of this suborder descended from one canine ancestor, common to all species of such animals.

Relative to other families from the order of predatory animals, bears are animals with the greatest uniformity in appearance, size, and are also similar in many features in the internal structure. All bears are among the largest representatives of terrestrial modern predatory animals.. The body length of an adult polar bear reaches three meters with a weight in the range of 720-890 kg, and the Malay bear is one of the smallest members of the family, and its length does not exceed one and a half meters with a body weight of 27-65 kg.

Appearance, colors

Male bears are about 10-20% larger than females, and in a polar bear, such figures can even be 150% or more. The fur of the animal has a developed and rather coarse undercoat. The high, sometimes shaggy type of hair in most species has a pronounced density, and the fur of the Malay bear is low and quite rare.

The color of the fur is monophonic, from jet black to whitish. The exception is, which has a characteristic contrasting black and white color. There may be light markings on the chest or around the eyes. Some species are characterized by individual and so-called geographical variability in fur color. Bears have a marked seasonal dimorphism, expressed by changes in the height and thickness of the fur.

All representatives of the Bear family are distinguished by a stocky and powerful body, often with a fairly high and pronounced withers. Also characteristic are strong and well-developed, five-fingered paws with large non-retractable claws. The claws are controlled by powerful muscles, thanks to which the animals climb trees, dig the ground, and also easily tear their prey. The length of the claws of the grizzly reaches 13-15 cm. The gait of a carnivorous animal of a plantigrade type, characteristically shuffling. The giant panda has an additional sixth “finger” on its front paws, which is an outgrowth of the sesame-shaped radius.

The tail is very short, almost invisible under the fur. The exception is the giant panda, which has a fairly long and well-marked tail. Any bear has relatively small eyes, a large head, located on a thick and, as a rule, short neck. The cranium is large, most often with an elongated facial part and strongly developed ridges.

It is interesting! Bears have a highly developed sense of smell, and in some species it is quite comparable to a dog's sense of smell, but the sight and hearing of such numerous and large predators is an order of magnitude weaker.

The zygomatic arches are most often slightly spaced in different directions, and the jaws are powerful, providing very high bite force indicators. All representatives of the Bear family are characterized by the presence of large fangs and incisors, and the remaining teeth can be partially reduced, but their appearance and structure most often depend on the type of food. The total number of teeth can vary between 32-42 pieces. The presence of individual or age-related variability in the dental system is often observed.

Character and lifestyle

Bears are typical predators leading a solitary lifestyle, so such animals prefer to meet each other solely for the purpose of mating. Males behave, as a rule, aggressively and are capable of killing cubs that are near the female for a long time. Representatives of the Bear family are well adapted to a variety of living conditions, therefore they are able to inhabit high-mountain regions, forest zones, arctic ice and steppes, and the main differences are in the way of feeding and lifestyle.

A significant part of the species of bears lives in the plain and mountain forest zones of temperate or tropical latitudes. The predator is somewhat less common in high-mountain zones without dense vegetation. Some species are characterized by a clear attachment to the aquatic environment, including mountain or forest streams, rivers and sea coasts. The Arctic, as well as vast expanses

It is interesting! The Arctic Ocean is the natural habitat of polar bears, and the lifestyle of an ordinary brown bear is associated with subtropical forests, taiga, steppes and tundra, and desert areas.

Most bears are classified as terrestrial carnivores, but polar bears are semi-aquatic members of the family. Malayan bears are typical adherents of a semi-arboreal lifestyle, therefore they are able to perfectly climb trees and equip themselves with a shelter or a so-called “nest”. Some species of bears choose pits near the root system of trees and crevices of sufficient size as their habitat.

As a rule, representatives of the Bear family and the Predatory order are nocturnal, so they rarely go hunting during the daytime. However, polar bears may be considered an exception to such general rules. Predatory mammals, leading a solitary lifestyle, unite during the period of "mating games" and mating, as well as to raise their offspring. Among other things, groups of such animals are noted at common watering places and traditional feeding areas.

How long do bears live

The average lifespan of bears in nature can vary depending on the species characteristics of this predatory mammal:

  • Spectacled bears - two decades;
  • Apennine brown bears - up to twenty years;
  • Tien Shan brown bears - up to twenty years or a quarter of a century;
  • Polar polar bears - just over a quarter of a century;
  • Gubachi - a little less than twenty years.

In captivity, the average life expectancy of a predatory mammal is usually noticeably longer. For example, brown bears can live in captivity for more than 40-45 years.

Types of bears

Range, distribution

Spectacled bears are the only representatives of the Bear family that inhabit South America, where the predator prefers the mountain forests of Venezuela and Ecuador, Colombia and Peru, as well as Bolivia and Panama. - an inhabitant of the basin of the Lena, Kolyma and Anadyr rivers, most of Eastern Siberia and the Stanovoy Range, Northern Mongolia, some regions of China and the border area of ​​East Kazakhstan.

Grizzlies are found primarily in western Canada and Alaska, with a small number of individuals remaining in continental America, including Montana and northwestern Washington. Tien Shan brown bears are found on the Tien Shan ranges, as well as in the Dzungarian Alatau, which has peripheral mountain ranges, and the Mazalays are found in the desert mountains of Tsagan-Bogdo and Atas-Bogdo, where rare shrubs and drain dry channels are located.

Polar bears are distributed circumpolar, and live in the polar regions in the northern hemisphere of our planet. White-breasted Himalayan bears prefer the hill and mountain forests of Iran and Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Himalayas, up to Japan and Korea. Representatives of the species in the summer in the Himalayas rise to a height of three and even four thousand meters, and with the onset of cold weather they descend to the mountain foot.

Gubach live mainly in the tropics and subtropical forests of India and Pakistan, in Sri Lanka and Nepal, as well as in Bangladesh and Bhutan. Biruangs are distributed from northeastern India to Indonesia, including Sumatra and Kalimantan, and the island of Borneo is inhabited by the subspecies Helarstos malayanus eurysrilus.

Bears in the ecosystem of the planet

All representatives of the Bear family, due to the peculiarities of the diet and impressive size, have a very noticeable effect on the fauna and flora in their habitats. Species White and brown bears are involved in the regulation of the total number of ungulates and other animals.

All herbivorous bear species contribute to the active distribution of seeds of many plants. Polar bears are often accompanied by arctic foxes finishing their prey.

Bear diet

Spectacled bears are the most herbivorous of the family, and their main diet includes herbaceous shoots, fruits and rhizomes of plants, crops of corn, and sometimes insects in the form of ants or termites. An important role in the diet of the Siberian bear is assigned to fish, and Kodiaks are omnivorous animals that eat both herbaceous plants, berries and roots, and meat food, including fish and all kinds of carrion.

Pika-eating bears or Tibetan brown bears feed mainly on herbaceous plants, as well as pikas, which is how they got their name. The main prey of polar bears is represented by ringed seals, bearded seals, walruses and many other marine animals. The predator does not disdain carrion, willingly eats dead fish, eggs and chicks, can eat grass and all kinds of seaweed, and in inhabited areas looks for food in numerous garbage dumps.

The diet of white-breasted or Himalayan bears is 80-85% represented by products of plant origin, but the predator is able to eat ants and other insects, as well as highly nutritious mollusks and even frogs. Sloth bears, similarly, are adapted to eating predominantly colonial insects, including termites and ants. All biruangs are omnivorous, but primarily feed on insects, including bees and termites, as well as fruits and shoots, earthworms, and plant roots.

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 prolonged 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 brown or common bear is a predatory mammal from the bear family. This is one of the largest and most dangerous species of terrestrial predators. About twenty subspecies of the brown bear are distinguished, differing in appearance and distribution area.

Description and appearance

The appearance of a brown bear is typical for all representatives of the bear family. The body of the animal is well developed and powerful.

Appearance

There is a high withers, as well as a fairly massive head with small ears and eyes. The length of the relatively short tail varies between 6.5-21.0 cm. The paws are quite strong and well developed, with powerful and non-retractable claws. The feet are very wide, five-fingered.

Brown bear sizes

The average length of a brown bear living in the European part, as a rule, is about one and a half to two meters with a body weight in the range of 135-250 kg. Individuals inhabiting the middle zone of our country are somewhat smaller in size and can weigh about 100-120 kg. The Far Eastern bears and are considered the largest, the sizes of which often reach three meters.

Skin color

The color of the brown bear is quite variable. Differences in coloration of the skin depend on the habitat, and the color of the fur can vary from a light fawn shade to bluish-black. Brown color is considered standard.

It is interesting! A characteristic feature of the grizzly is the presence of hair with whitish ends on the back, due to which a kind of gray hair is present on the coat. Individuals with a grayish-white coloration are found in the Himalayas. Animals with reddish-brown fur inhabit Syria.

Lifespan

Under natural conditions, the average life expectancy of a brown bear is approximately twenty to thirty years. In captivity, this species can live for fifty years, and sometimes more. Rare individuals live in natural conditions up to the age of fifteen.

Brown bear subspecies

The type of brown bear includes several subspecies or so-called geographic races, which differ in size and color.

The most common subspecies:

  • European brown bear with a body length of 150-250 cm, a tail length of 5-15 cm, a height at the withers of 90-110 cm and an average weight of 150-300 kg. A large subspecies with a powerful physique and a pronounced hump at the withers. The general color varies from light greyish-yellow to blackish-dark brown. The fur is thick, rather long;
  • Caucasian brown bear with an average body length of 185-215 cm and a body weight of 120-240 kg. The coat is short, coarse, of a paler coloration than that of the Eurasian subspecies. The color varies from a pale straw color to a uniform gray-brown color. There is a pronounced, large dark-colored spot in the withers;
  • East Siberian brown bear weighing up to 330-350 kg and large skull. The fur is long, soft and dense, with a pronounced sheen. The coat is light brown or blackish brown or dark brown in color. Some individuals are characterized by the presence in the color of fairly well-marked yellowish and black shades;
  • Ussuri or Amur brown bear. In our country, this subspecies is well known under the name black grizzly. The average body weight of an adult male can vary between 350-450 kg. The subspecies is characterized by the presence of a large and well-developed skull with an elongated nose. The skin is almost black. A distinctive feature is the presence of long hair on the ears.

One of the largest subspecies in our country is the Far Eastern or Kamchatka brown bear, whose average body weight often exceeds 450-500 kg. Large adults have a large, massive skull and a broad, raised front of the head. The fur is long, dense and soft, pale yellow, blackish brown or completely black in color.

The area where the brown bear lives

The range of natural distribution of brown bears has undergone significant changes over the past century. Previously, subspecies were found in vast territories stretching from England to the Japanese islands, as well as from Alaska to central Mexico.

Today, due to the active extermination of brown bears and their eviction from inhabited territories, the most numerous predator groups are recorded only in the western part of Canada, as well as in Alaska and in the forest zones of our country.

Bear lifestyle

The period of activity of the predator falls on twilight, early morning and evening hours. The brown bear is a very sensitive animal, orienting itself in space mainly with the help of hearing and smell. Low vision is typical. Despite their impressive size and large body weight, brown bears are almost silent, fast and very easy to move predators.

It is interesting! The average running speed is 55-60 km/h. Bears swim quite well, but they are able to move through deep snow with great difficulty.

Brown bears belong to the category of sedentary animals, but young animals separated from the family are able to roam and actively look for a partner. Bears mark and defend the boundaries of their territory. In summer, bears rest directly on the ground, nestling among forbs and low shrubs. With the onset of autumn, the beast begins to prepare a reliable winter shelter for itself.

Food and prey of the brown bear

Brown bears are omnivores, but the basis of the diet is vegetation, represented by berries, acorns, nuts, roots, tubers and stem parts of plants. In a lean year, oats and corn serve as a good substitute for berries. Also, the diet of a predator necessarily includes all kinds of insects, represented by ants, worms, lizards, frogs, field and forest rodents.

Large adult predators are able to attack young artiodactyls. Roe deer, fallow deer, deer, wild boar and elk can become prey. An adult brown bear can, with a single blow with its paw, break the spine of its prey, after which it fills it with brushwood and guards it until the carcass is completely eaten. Near water areas, some subspecies of brown bears hunt seals, fish and seals.

Grizzlies are able to attack the baribal bear and take prey from smaller predators.

It is interesting! Regardless of age, brown bears have an excellent memory. These wild animals are able to easily memorize mushroom or berry places, as well as quickly find their way to them.

Spawning salmon becomes the basis of the diet of the Far Eastern brown bear in summer and autumn. In lean years and poor food supply, a large predator is able to attack even domestic animals and grazing livestock.

Reproduction and offspring

The mating season of a brown bear lasts a couple of months and begins in May, when males enter into fierce fights. Females mate with several adult males at once. Latent pregnancy consists in the development of the embryo only at the stage of hibernation of the animal. The female carries the cubs for about six to eight months.. Blind and deaf, completely helpless and covered with sparse hair cubs are born in a den. As a rule, the female bears two or three babies, whose growth at the time of birth does not exceed a quarter of a meter and weighs 450-500 g.

It is interesting! In the den, the cubs feed on milk and grow up to three months, after which they have milk teeth and become able to feed on berries, vegetation and insects on their own. However, cubs are breastfed for up to a year and a half or more.

Not only the female takes care of the offspring, but also the so-called foster daughter, who appeared in the previous litter. Next to the female, the cubs live until about three or four years old, until they reach puberty. The offspring of the female acquires, as a rule, once every three years.

Hibernation of the brown bear

The sleep of a brown bear is completely different from the period of hibernation characteristic of other mammalian species. During hibernation, the brown bear's body temperature, respiration rate, and pulse remain practically unchanged. The bear does not fall into a state of complete stupor, and in the first days it only dozes.

At this time, the predator listens sensitively and reacts to the slightest danger by leaving the den. In a warm and little snowy winter, in the presence of a large amount of food, some males do not hibernate. Sleep comes only with the onset of severe frosts and can last less than a month. In a dream, the reserves of subcutaneous fat, which was accumulated in the summer and autumn, are wasted.

Preparation for sleep

Winter shelters are equipped by adults in reliable, deaf and dry places, under a windbreak or the roots of a fallen tree. The predator is able to independently dig a deep lair in the ground or occupy mountain caves and rock crevices. Pregnant brown bears try to equip themselves and their offspring with a deeper and more spacious, warm lair, which is then lined from the inside with moss, spruce branches and fallen leaves.

It is interesting! Bear cubs of the year always spend the winter period with their mother. Such a company can be joined by cubs-lonchaks of the second year of life.

All adult and lone predators hibernate alone. The exception is individuals living on the territory of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. Here, the presence of several adults in one den at once is often observed.

Hibernation duration

Depending on weather conditions and some other factors, brown bears can stay in a den for up to six months. The period when the bear lies in the den, as well as the duration of hibernation itself, may depend on the conditions imposed by weather conditions, the yield of the fattening food base, gender, age parameters, and even the physiological state of the animal.

It is interesting! An old and fattened wild animal goes to hibernation much earlier, even before a significant snow cover falls, and young and underfed individuals lie in a den in November-December.

The period of occurrence stretches for a couple of weeks or several months. Pregnant females are the first to winter. Lastly, the dens are occupied by old males. The same place for hibernation in winter can be used by a brown bear for several years.

Rod Bears

Shatun is a brown bear that did not have time to accumulate a sufficient amount of subcutaneous fat and, for this reason, is not able to hibernate. In the process of searching for any food, such a predator is able to roam around the neighborhood all winter. As a rule, such a brown bear moves unsteadily, has a shabby and relatively exhausted appearance.

It is interesting! When meeting with dangerous opponents, brown bears emit a very loud roar, stand on their hind legs and try to knock down their opponent with a strong blow from their front powerful paws.

Hunger makes the beast often appear in close proximity to human habitation. The connecting rod bear is typical of northern regions characterized by severe winters, including the territory of the Far East and Siberia. A mass invasion of connecting rod bears can be observed in lean seasons, about once every ten years. Hunting for connecting rod bears is not a fishing activity, but a forced measure.

The brown bear, a brief description of which we will consider in this article, is a typical inhabitant of taiga-type forests. It can be found almost throughout Russia, especially in Siberia and the Far East. It is found in coniferous, deciduous, and even in mixed regions of different countries, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. So, get acquainted: the owner of the Russian taiga is a brown bear!

Brief description of the species

The brown or common bear is a predatory mammal that belongs to the bear family. Currently, the brown bear is the largest land predator in the world. The duration of his life in nature is estimated at 30 years. In captivity, a predator can live up to 50 years. Linguists believe that the name of this beast is composed of two words - “knowing” and “honey”. And this is understandable: despite its belonging to predators, the bear is a big lover of sweet honey and in general

Nutrition

The diet of clubfoot for ¾ consists of plant foods. These are various berries, nuts, acorns, rhizomes and tubers of plants. Sometimes these predators even eat grass. In lean years, brown bears, like foxes, encroach on oat crops at the stage of their milky ripeness, and various insects, reptiles, amphibians, small rodents, fish, and, of course, large ungulates, make up food for animals. For example, it costs nothing for a clumsy giant to kill an adult large elk with just a blow of its powerful clawed paw!

Brief description of subspecies

The numerical difference between brown bears is so great that once these animals were classified into independent species. Currently, all brown bears are combined into one single species, which combines several subspecies or geographic races. So, brown bears include:

  • ordinary (Eurasian or European);
  • Californian;
  • Siberian;
  • satin;
  • gobi;
  • grizzly or mexican;
  • Tien Shan;
  • Ussuri or Japanese;
  • kodiak;
  • Tibetan.

Giant heavyweights

As you already understood, the brown bear, which we describe in this article, is the most common type of clubfoot in the world. Although it is called brown, it is not always painted in this particular color. In nature, you can meet black, and beige, and yellow, and even fiery red bears. But we will talk about the color of their coat a little later. Now we are interested in their sizes.

The sizes of these animals vary depending on their gender, age and habitat. But males are in any case larger than females and weigh 30% more. Most brown bears have a height at the withers ranging from 75 to 160 centimeters. Body length mainly ranges from 1.6 to 2.9 meters.

The mass of a brown bear directly depends on its habitat. One of the largest animals are bears that live on the Scandinavian Peninsula and, of course, on the territory of our country. Their weight is 350 kilograms. Their American relatives, living in and also inhabiting Canada, can sometimes weigh more than 400 kilograms of net weight. Their name is grizzly, or gray-haired.

The brown bear, whose size is considered impressive all over the world, is also found in Kamchatka and Alaska. There, these predators weigh more than 500 kilograms. Cases of hunting for brown bears are described, presumably reaching a weight of 1 ton! However, for the most part, these shaggy heavyweights do not exceed 350 kilograms of net weight. The maximum recorded weight, for example, of a Kamchatka bear was 600 kilograms. The animals preserved in Europe are small in size. Their weight does not exceed 90 kilograms.

Appearance

The brown bear, whose dimensions we examined above, has a pronounced barrel-shaped and powerful body with high withers (shoulder height). This body is held by massive and high paws with flat clawed soles. The length of the claws of this furry giant ranges from 8 to 12 centimeters. These animals practically do not have a tail, since its length does not exceed 21 centimeters.

The shape of the brown bear's head is round. It has small blind eyes and small ears. The muzzle is elongated, and the forehead is high. The owner of the Russian taiga is covered with thick and evenly colored wool. bears, like their size, is changeable. It all depends on certain habitats of these animals. For example, well-known ones may have brown hair with a silver tint. For this, by the way, they were called gray-haired.

Spreading

As mentioned earlier, bears are forest dwellers. We repeat that their typical habitats, for example, in Russia, are continuous forest tracts with dense growth of grasses, shrubs and hardwoods. The brown bear, a brief description of which we consider in this article, is found in both tundra and alpine forests. In Europe, he prefers mountain forests, and, for example, in North America it can be found in alpine meadows, in coastal forests.

Once upon a time, these animals inhabited the whole of Europe, including Ireland and Great Britain, and in the south of the globe, its habitat reached the African Atlas Mountains. To the east, this species of hairy heavyweights was distributed through Siberia and China to Japan. Scientists believe that brown bears came to North America from Asia about 40,000 years ago. They are sure that these animals were able to cross the Bering Isthmus on their own, settling in the west of America from Alaska to Mexico.

Winter sleep

As you know, the physiological criterion of the brown bear is such that these animals hibernate for the winter. They do this in October-December. They come out of hibernation in the spring - in March. In general, the winter sleep of these shaggy heavyweights can last from 2 to 6 months. It all depends on the subspecies of the bear and on external factors. It is curious that in the warmest regions of our planet, subject to an abundant harvest of fruits, berries and nuts, bears do not lie in a den at all.

Preparation for sleep

Clubfoot begin to prepare for their wintering from the middle of summer. It's a brown bear! The description of his preparation for sleep is probably known to many people, because there is nothing secret and surprising in this. Six months before the onset of cold weather, they need to find a suitable place for their winter shelter, equip it and, of course, build up their reserves of subcutaneous fat. Most often, bear dens are located under the wells and eversion, under the roots of huge and massive trees - cedars or firs.

Sometimes these predators pull out "dugouts" for themselves directly in the coastal cliffs of the rivers. If during this time the bear has not found a secluded place for his winter shelter, he digs a large hole, after which he strengthens its walls with vertically protruding branches. With them, brown bears fill up the inlet, at the same time disguising themselves and isolating themselves from the outside world for several months. Immediately before going to bed, the animal, having gained a sufficient amount of subcutaneous fat, carefully confuses its traces of being near the den.

It is worth noting that unpaved dens are considered the most solid and practical bear dwellings. If the predator is lucky, then he will lie down for the whole winter in the ground. Such lairs are located deep underground and keep clubfoot warm. Near the entrance to the dirt den, you can find various trees and shrubs covered with yellowish hoarfrost. Experienced hunters know that the hot breath of a clubfoot gives this color to frost.

hibernation

Adult animals in most cases while away the cold winter days in their lairs one by one. Only a she-bear can hibernate together with last year's cubs. Scientists who observed the life of these predators (see photo of a brown bear and a description of its lifestyle) noticed that in certain regions of the globe where there are no places particularly suitable for wintering, bears use the same shelters several times.

In some areas, dens can generally be located in close proximity to each other, it turns out something like a bearish "apartment" house. If the choice of "winter apartments" is very tight, some especially arrogant bears encroach on other people's homes. For example, an adult male brown bear can, without any pity, expel a weaker relative from a vending den.

Brown bears sleep curled up. They press their hind legs to their belly, and cover their muzzle with their front paws. By the way, it is this fact that gave rise to many tales and sayings that bears suck their paws in winter. This is not entirely true. Clubfoot, of course, can from time to time, being in one or another phase of sleep, lick their front paws, but this has absolutely nothing to do with sucking them.

Watch out, scumbag!

Scientists say that the sleep of bears cannot be called strong. During short-term thaws, these predators can wake up and even leave their winter shelters for a while. At this time, clubfoots walk through the winter forest, knead their bones. As soon as it gets colder again, shaggy heavyweights return to their shelter again, covering up the traces of their stay outside the den. However, such habits of a brown bear are still flowers!

It also happens that some bears, due to malnutrition in the autumn-winter period, cannot gain the required weight, find and equip their home. In this case, they do not lie in the den at all. Not having time to accumulate the reserves of subcutaneous fat necessary for a comfortable wintering, the beast simply staggers through the snowy forest, as if restless. The people called such poor fellows "rods". The connecting rod bear is a very dangerous and extremely aggressive animal! At this time, it is better not to mess with him at all, because the beast is very hungry, incredibly angry and attacks almost everything that moves.

reproduction

Female brown bears bring offspring from 2 to 4 times a year. Their mating season usually falls in May, June and July. At this time, the males behave aggressively: they begin to roar loudly, serious fights arise between them, sometimes ending in the death of one of the bears. Pregnancy in females lasts from 190 to 200 days. At one time, they can bring up to 5 cubs with a body weight of up to 600 grams and a length of up to 23 centimeters.

Offspring

The young are born blind, with overgrown ear canals and covered with short sparse hair. After two weeks, the cubs begin to hear, and after a month - to see. Already 90 days after birth, all milk teeth grow in them, and they begin to eat berries, plants and insects. As a rule, male brown bears are not engaged in offspring, raising young animals is the prerogative of females. Bear cubs become sexually mature by the age of 3, but continue to grow up to 10 years.

Brown bear. Red Book

Unfortunately, this one is listed in the Red Book as an animal that is endangered. Currently, in many areas and regions of the globe, hunting for brown bears is limited or completely prohibited. Nevertheless, no one canceled poaching. The bearskin is mainly used for carpets and the meat is used for cooking. He is such an important game animal - this brown bear! The Red Book, in which this species of large predators was once included, has not been reprinted at the present time. It is possible that the data on the number of bears as of this year will change dramatically for the worse.