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What type of bear is black and white. Animals without wool can hardly be recognized (28 photos). Preparation for sleep

The bear is the largest predator on earth. This animal belongs to the class of mammals, order carnivores, family bears, genus bears ( Ursus). The bear appeared on the planet about 6 million years ago and has always been a symbol of power and strength.

Bear - description, characteristics, structure. What does a bear look like?

Depending on the species, the body length of a predator can vary from 1.2 to 3 meters, and the weight of a bear varies from 40 kg to a ton. The body of these animals is large, stocky, with a thick, short neck and a large head. Powerful jaws make it easy to gnaw both plant and meat food. The limbs are rather short and slightly curved. Therefore, the bear walks, swaying from side to side, and rests on the entire foot. The speed of a bear in moments of danger can reach 50 km / h. With the help of large and sharp claws, these animals extract food from the ground, tear apart prey and climb trees. Many bear species are good swimmers. The polar bear has a special membrane between the fingers for this. The life expectancy of a bear can reach 45 years.

Bears do not have sharp eyesight and well-developed hearing. This is offset by a great sense of smell. Sometimes animals stand on their hind legs in order to obtain information about the environment with the help of scent.

thick bear fur, covering the body, has a different color: from reddish-brown to black, white in polar bears or black and white in pandas. Species with dark fur turn gray and gray in old age.

Does a bear have a tail?

Yes, but only the giant panda has a noticeable tail. In other species, it is short and almost indistinguishable in the fur.

Types of bears, names and photos

In the bear family, zoologists distinguish 8 species of bears, which are divided into many different subspecies:

Brown bear (common bear) (Ursus arctos)

The appearance of a predator of this species is typical for all representatives of the bear family: a powerful body, rather high at the withers, a massive head with rather small ears and eyes, a short, slightly noticeable tail, and large paws with very powerful claws. The body of a brown bear is covered with thick hair with a brownish, dark gray, reddish color, which varies from the habitat of the "clubfoot". Baby bear cubs often have large light tan marks on the chest or in the neck area, although these marks disappear with age.

The distribution area of the brown bear is wide: it is found in the mountain systems of the Alps and on the Apennine Peninsula, is common in Finland and the Carpathians, feels comfortable in Scandinavia, Asia, China, in the northwestern United States and in Russian forests.

Polar (white) bear (Ursus maritimus)

It is the largest representative of the family: its body length often reaches 3 meters, and its mass can exceed one ton. The polar bear has a long neck and a slightly flattened head - this distinguishes it from its counterparts in other species. The color of the bear's coat is from boiling white to slightly yellowish, the hairs inside are hollow, therefore they give the bear's "fur coat" excellent thermal insulation properties. The soles of the paws are densely “lined” with tufts of coarse wool, which allows the polar bear to easily move on the ice cover without slipping. Between the toes of the paws there is a membrane that facilitates the process of swimming. The habitat of this species of bears is the polar regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Baribal (black bear) (Ursus americanus)

The bear is a bit like a brown relative, but differs from it in its smaller size and blue-black fur. The length of an adult baribal does not exceed two meters, and the female bear is even smaller - their body usually has a length of 1.5 meters. A pointed muzzle, long paws ending in rather short feet - this is what this representative of bears is remarkable for. By the way, baribals can become black only by the third year of life, at birth getting a gray or brownish color. The habitat of the black bear is vast: from the expanses of Alaska to the territories of Canada and hot Mexico.

Malayan bear (biruang) (Helarctos malyanus)

The most "miniature" species among its bear counterparts: its length does not exceed 1.3-1.5 meters, and the height at the withers is slightly more than half a meter. This type of bear has a stocky build, a short, rather wide muzzle with small, round ears. The paws of the Malayan bear are high, while large, long feet with huge claws look a little disproportionate. The body is covered with short and very hard black-brown fur, the chest of the animal is “adorned” with a white-red spot. The Malayan bear lives in the southern regions of China, in Thailand and Indonesia.

White-breasted (Himalayan) bear (Ursus thibetanus)

The slender physique of the Himalayan bear is not too large in size - this member of the family is two times smaller than the brown relative: the male has a length of 1.5-1.7 meters, while the height at the withers is only 75-80 cm, females are even smaller. The body of a bear, covered with shiny and silky hair of dark brown or black, is crowned by a head with a pointed muzzle and large round ears. An obligatory "attribute" of the appearance of the Himalayan bear is a spectacular white or yellowish spot on the chest. This species of bears lives in Iran and Afghanistan, is found in the mountainous regions of the Himalayas, in Korea, Vietnam, China and Japan, feels at ease in the expanses of the Khabarovsk Territory and in the south of Yakutia.

spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus)

Medium-sized predator - length 1.5-1.8 meters, height at the withers from 70 to 80 cm. The muzzle is short, not too wide. The wool of a spectacled bear is shaggy, has a black or black-brown hue, around the eyes there are always white-yellow rings, smoothly turning into a whitish "collar" of fur on the animal's neck. The habitat of this species of bears is the countries of South America: Colombia and Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, Venezuela and Panama.

Gubach (Melursus ursinus)

A predator with a body length of up to 1.8 meters, at the withers, the height varies from 65 to 90 centimeters, females are approximately 30% smaller than males in both indicators. The trunk of the sloth is massive, the head is large, with a flat forehead and an overly elongated muzzle, which ends in mobile, completely devoid of hair, protruding lips. The bear's fur is long, usually black or dirty-brown in color, often forming a semblance of a shaggy mane in the neck of the animal. The chest of the sloth bear has a light spot. The habitat of this species of bears is India, some parts of Pakistan, Bhutan, the territory of Bangladesh and Nepal.

Giant panda (bamboo bear) ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

This type of bear has a massive, squat body, which is covered with dense, thick black and white fur. The paws are short, thick, with sharp claws and completely hairless pads: this allows pandas to firmly hold the smooth and slippery bamboo stems. The structure of the front paws of these bears is very unusually developed: five ordinary fingers complement the big sixth, although it is not a real finger, but is a modified bone. Such amazing paws enable the panda to easily manage the thinnest bamboo shoots. The bamboo bear lives in the mountainous regions of China, especially large populations live in Tibet and Sichuan.

Where do bears live?

The distribution range of bears includes Eurasia, North and South America, Asia, some islands of Japan, Northwest Africa and the Arctic expanses. Bears live in the forest. In addition to polar bears, all representatives of this family lead a sedentary lifestyle. They can be kept in families (she-bear with cubs), but usually prefer loneliness. Each individual has its own territory in which the bear lives, hunts and hibernates. In places with excess food, several bears can be at the same time. Animals living in cold regions fall into seasonal hibernation, lasting up to 200 days.

What does a bear eat?

The bear's diet includes both plant and animal food. Brown bears eat meat in addition to berries, mushrooms, nuts and various roots.

bear breeding

Although bears are monogamous, their mates do not last long. Shortly after the mating season, which takes place at different times for different species, they break up. Depending on the species, the pregnancy of a bear lasts from 180 to 250 days. The female bear gives birth during hibernation and leaves the shelter with cubs. A litter usually contains 1 to 4 cubs, which are born without teeth, with their eyes closed and with little or no fur. For about a year they feed on mother's milk. For about 2 years, babies are near their mother. Bear cubs of the past litter help their mother in raising young offspring. Bears become sexually mature by 3-5 years.

In zoos, bears are kept in large enclosures, in which conditions are created that are as close as possible to the natural habitat of each species. In addition to tree trunks, piles of stones and wooden structures, a spacious pool is required. Feed should be seasonal and contain products that are available to the animal in natural conditions. Vitamins, bone meal and fish oil are used as supplements to the diet. Despite the fact that little bear cubs are very cute and funny, it is not worth keeping this wild animal at home: an adult bear is a dangerous and strong predator, for which his native home is natural open spaces.

The Malayan (solar) bear is the smallest among the "bear" representatives - its dimensions do not exceed the dimensions of a large dog: the height at the withers is only 55-70 centimeters, and the weight varies from 30 to 65 kg.
The normal pulse of a bear is 40 beats per minute, but during hibernation this figure drops to 8-10 beats.
Only the white polar bear is a true predator: it eats meat and fish, all other species of "clubfoot" are omnivorous and prefer a varied menu.
A newborn brown bear cub weighs only 450-500 grams when it is born, but by the time it reaches adulthood, this baby gains weight 1000 times!

Humans are not the only ones who suffer from hair loss. Whether hair loss is caused by disease or old age, our four-legged friends can also be affected by this condition.

Luckily, the animals and birds on our list seem to be oblivious to the loss of their hair, fur, or feathers. Do you think they look just as cute without their fur or feathers?

Rabbit

This cute bunny was born in 2009 and became an instant internet sensation because he is bald. Luckily, after three months, he grew his first fur coat and turned out to be just as ordinary as his furry siblings.

Bear

Dolores the bear is one of those bears that suffered sudden hair loss at the zoo in Leipzig, Germany. Some experts believe it was caused by a genetic defect, although the animals do not appear to suffer from any other ailments.

Hedgehog

Meet Betty - a cute bald hedgehog from Foxy Lodge Rescue Center, UK. She is a healthy and completely normal animal, except for the fact that she is bald, and the cause of her baldness is unknown.

Parrot

Oscar was a 35-year-old female Moluccan cockatoo who suffered from a condition that affects birds, Beak and Feather Disease. She tore out her own feathers, because they annoyed her very much.

Squirrel

Photo: Murph le

Bald squirrels are not uncommon; their hair loss is usually associated with disease caused by mites.

Guinea pig

Photo: Alina Gerika

Skinny is a breed of hairless guinea pigs. Judging by their pink skin, there is no need to explain why guinea pigs are called "pigs". (Photo: margaretshairlesspigs.webs.com)

Penguin

This hairless baby penguin was born without feathers and was rejected by his parents in an aquarium in China's Liaoning Province. The aquarium staff thought that the baby penguin's lack of feathers and poor health were due to difficulty digesting food and absorbing nutrients. Thanks to his caretakers, the penguin managed to grow a feathered coat and was successfully reintroduced into his family.

Rat

Photo: CSBeck

Photo: Maxim Loskutov

Hairless rats are obtained by breeding various combinations of genes. On the other hand, hairless lab rats provide researchers with valuable data on weakened immune systems and genetic kidney diseases. (Photo: CSBeck).

Chimpanzee

Chimpanzees, like other apes, large primates and humans, sometimes suffer from baldness, a disease that causes them to lose hair from all over their bodies. These poor creatures attract many visitors to zoos. (Photo: RedEyedRex).

Dog

Photo: sweet mustache

These are Peruvian hairless dogs. Machu Picchu (the 4-month-old puppy pictured above) was offered as a pet to US President Barack Obama. He promised his daughters a new White House pet, but the dog had to be hypoallergenic because one of them is allergic to most dog breeds. Peruvian hairless dogs are said to be perfect for sensitive people due to their lack of hair. (Photo: Karel Navarro)

Wombat

Meet Karmann, an orphaned baby wombat from Australia. Wombats should remain in their mother's pouch until they are seven months old. However, poor Karmann was rescued from her dying mother's pouch at 3 months old, so she has no hairline. She is currently being cared for at a wildlife sanctuary in Melbourne.

Baboon

A hairless female baboon has been spotted in rural Zimbabwe. The animal may have lost its coat due to alopecia. However, this hairless baboon has been seen in the wild, so the cause of her hair loss is unknown.

Kangaroo

This tiny creature is Sabrina, a female kangaroo who was abandoned by her mother in the Serengeti-Park in Germany. These animals do not grow hair until they leave the mother's pouch. The bald Sabrina always had to be worn close to a warm body or wrapped in a blanket to keep her warm.

Hamster

Hairless Syrian hamsters lack fur due to a genetic disease. Hairless hamster babies are only born to parents with the bald gene, so they should not breed. (Photo: The Thick Rabbit)

The predatory mammal polar bear, or polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a close relative of the brown bear and the largest land predator on the planet today.

Feature and description

The polar bear is one of the largest terrestrial mammals from the order of predatory animals.. The body length of an adult is three meters with a mass of up to a ton. The average weight of a male, as a rule, varies between 400-800 kg with a body length of 2.0-2.5 m. The height at the withers does not exceed one and a half meters. Females are much smaller, and their weight rarely exceeds 200-250 kg. The category of the smallest polar bears includes individuals inhabiting Svalbard, and the largest specimens are found near the Bering Sea.

This is interesting! A characteristic difference of polar bears is the presence of a rather long neck and a flat head. The skin is black, and the color of the fur coat can vary from white to yellowish. In summer, the fur of the animal turns yellow as a result of prolonged exposure to sunlight.

The wool of polar bears is completely devoid of pigmentation, and the hairs have a hollow structure. A feature of translucent hairs is the ability to transmit only ultraviolet light, which gives wool high thermal insulation characteristics. On the soles of the limbs there is also wool that prevents slipping. Between the fingers is a swimming membrane. Large claws allow the predator to hold even very strong and large prey.

extinct subspecies

A closely related subspecies of the now well-known and fairly common polar bear is the extinct giant polar bear or U. maritimus tyrannus. A distinctive feature of this subspecies was the significantly larger size of the body. The body length of an adult could be four meters, and the average weight exceeded a ton.

On the territory of Great Britain, in the Pleistocene deposits, it was possible to find the remains of a single ulna belonging to a giant polar bear, which made it possible to determine its intermediate position. Apparently, a large predator was perfectly adapted to hunting fairly large mammals. According to scientists, the most likely reason for the extinction of the subspecies was insufficient food by the end of the icing period.

Habitat

The polar bear's circumpolar habitat is limited by the territory of the northern coast of the continents and the southern part of the distribution of floating ice floes, as well as the border of the northern warm currents of the sea. The distribution area includes four areas:

permanent residence;
habitat of a high number of animals;
place of regular occurrence of pregnant females;
the territory of distant calls to the south.

Polar bears inhabit the entire coast of Greenland, the ice of the Greenland Sea south to the Jan Mayen Islands, the island of Svalbard, as well as Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya in the Barents Sea, Bear Islands, Vay-gach and Kolguev, Kara Sea. A significant number of polar bears is observed on the coast of the continents of the Laptev Sea, as well as the East Siberian, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. The main range of the highest abundance of the predator is represented by the continental slope of the Arctic Ocean.

Pregnant female polar bears regularly den in the following areas:

northwest and northeast Greenland;
southeastern part of Svalbard;
western part of Franz Josef Land;
northern part of the island of Novaya Zemlya;
small islands of the Kara Sea;
Severnaya Zemlya;
northern and northeastern coast of the Taimyr Peninsula;
the Lena Delta and the Bear Islands of Eastern Siberia;
the coast and adjacent islands of the Chukotka Peninsula;
Wrangel Island;
southern part of Banks Island;
the coast of the Simpson Peninsula;
northeast coast of Baffin Island and Southampton Island.

Dens with pregnant polar bears are also observed on pack ice in the Beaufort Sea. From time to time, as a rule, in the early spring, polar bears make long-distance visits towards Iceland and Scandinavia, as well as the Kanin Peninsula, the Gulf of Anadyr and Kamchatka. With ice and when crossing Kamchatka, predatory animals sometimes get into the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk.

Nutrition Features

Polar bears have a very well developed sense of smell, as well as organs of hearing and vision, so it is not difficult for a predator to notice its prey at a distance of several kilometers.

The diet of a polar bear is determined by the characteristics of the distribution area and the characteristics of its body. The predator is ideally adapted to the harsh polar winter and long swims in icy water, so marine representatives of the animal world, including sea urchins and walruses, most often become its prey. Eggs, chicks, young animals, as well as carrion in the form of corpses of marine animals and fish that are thrown by the wave on the coast are also used for food.

If possible, the polar bear's diet can be very selective. In captured seals or walruses, the predator primarily eats the skin and fat layer. However, a very hungry beast is able to eat the corpses of its fellows. Relatively rarely, large predators enrich their diet with berries and moss. Changing climatic conditions have had a significant impact on food, so recently polar bears are increasingly hunting on land.

Lifestyle

Polar bears make seasonal migrations, which are caused by annual changes in the territories and boundaries of the polar ice. In summer, the animals retreat towards the pole, and in winter, the animal population moves to the southern part and enters the territory of the mainland.

This is interesting! Despite the fact that polar bears mostly stay on the coast or ice, in winter the animals lie in dens located on the mainland or island part, sometimes at a distance of fifty meters from the sea line.

The duration of hibernation of a polar bear, as a rule, varies within 50-80 days, but most often pregnant females hibernate. Males and young are characterized by irregular and rather short hibernation.

On land, this predator differs in speed, and also swims excellently and dives very well.

Despite the apparent slowness, the slowness of the polar bear is deceptive. On land, this predator is distinguished by agility and speed, and among other things, a large animal swims excellently and dives very well. To protect the body of a polar bear, a very thick and dense coat is used, which prevents getting wet in icy water and has excellent heat-preserving properties. One of the most important adaptive characteristics is the presence of a massive layer of subcutaneous fat, the thickness of which can reach 8-10 cm. The white color of the coat helps the predator successfully camouflage against the background of snow and ice..

reproduction

Based on numerous observations, the rutting period of polar bears lasts about a month and usually begins in mid-March. At this time, predators are divided into pairs, but there are also females, accompanied by several males at once. The mating period lasts a couple of weeks.

polar bear pregnancy

It lasts approximately eight months, but depending on a number of conditions, it can vary between 195-262 days. It is visually almost impossible to distinguish a pregnant female from a single polar bear. Approximately a couple of months before giving birth, behavioral differences appear and females become irritable, inactive, lie on their stomach for a long time and lose their appetite. A litter often contains a pair of cubs, and the birth of one cub is typical for young, primiparous females. A pregnant female bear comes out on land in autumn, and spends the entire winter period in a snowy lair, located, most often, near the sea coast.

Bear care

In the first days after childbirth, the polar bear almost all the time lies curled up on her side.. Short and sparse hair is not sufficient for self-heating, so newborn cubs are located between the mother's paws and her chest, and the polar bear warms them with her breath. The average weight of newborn cubs most often does not exceed a kilogram with a body length of a quarter of a meter.

Bear cubs are born blind, and only at the age of five weeks open their eyes. Monthly bear cubs are fed sitting. The mass exit of bear females occurs in March. Through the hole dug outside, the she-bear begins to gradually lead her cubs for a walk, but with the onset of night, the animals return to the lair again. On walks, bear cubs play and dig in the snow.

This is interesting! In the polar bear population, approximately 15-29% of cubs and about 4-15% of immature individuals die.

Enemies in nature

Under natural conditions, polar bears, due to their size and predatory instinct, have practically no enemies. The death of polar bears is most often caused by accidental injuries as a result of intraspecific skirmishes or when hunting for too large walruses. The killer whale and polar shark also pose a certain danger to adults and young individuals. Most often, bears die of starvation..

Man was the most terrible enemy of the polar bear, and such peoples of the North as the Chukchi, Nenets and Eskimos have hunted this polar predator for centuries. Fishing operations that began to be carried out in the second half of the last century became disastrous for the population. During one season, St. John's wort destroyed more than a hundred individuals. More than sixty years ago, hunting for the polar bear was closed, and since 1965 it has been included in the Red Book.

Human danger

There are well-known cases of polar bear attacks on people, and the most striking evidence of predator aggression is recorded in the notes and reports of polar travelers, so you need to move in places where a polar bear may appear with extreme caution. On the territory of settlements located near the habitat of the polar predator, all containers with household waste must be inaccessible to the hungry animal. In the cities of the Canadian province, so-called "prisons" have been specially created, in which bears approaching the city limits are temporarily kept.

On earth, the bear is considered the largest predator; this species originated on the planet about 6 million years ago.

All about bears

The body length of the predator, depending on the species, varies from 1.2 to 3 meters, the weight can reach up to 1 ton, the jaws are very powerful, and the limbs are slightly curved and short.

The speed of the bear can reach up to 50 km / h, with the help of large and sharp claws, it is easy to climb a tree, tear apart prey, and get plant roots from under the ground.

Most bears are good swimmers.

Life expectancy can reach 45 years. They have a good sense of smell.

The coat of the bear is very hard and thick, the color has various shades from brown to black, white or black and white, gray hair may appear with age.

The tail of predators is almost invisible, only in pandas it is clearly expressed.

Varieties and photos of bears

Zoologists distinguish eight main types of bears and many varieties:

Brown bear

Its external characteristics are: a large head, a rather powerful body, small ears and eyes, an almost invisible tail, large paws with large claws.

The color of six, depending on the habitat, can be brown, gray or even reddish. There are brown bears in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Scandinavian Peninsula.

Polar bear (white)

It is the largest predator of the bear family: the weight can be more than one ton, the body length is about three meters, the head is flattened, the neck is long. The coat color can be pure white or slightly yellowish.

On the soles of the paws, the wool is very thick, which allows the bear to easily walk on the ice without slipping.

Feels comfortable in the water, swims well. It lives in regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Baribal (black)

Unlike the brown bear, it is smaller in size, the color of the coat is very black. It can be more than 2 meters long, the female is 1.5 m.

Elongated muzzle, long legs, short feet, gray or brown color. It lives in the territories of Alaska, Canada, Mexico.

Malayan bear

Very small, as a rule, the length of the body is not more than 1.3-1.5 m, the height at the withers is about 0.5 m. Stocky build, wide muzzle, small ears. Paws are high, feet are long with large claws.

The bear's coat is very hard and has a black-brown color, a white-red spot on the chest. It can be found in Thailand, China, Indonesia.

white-breasted bear

It does not differ in large sizes, the male reaches a length of up to 1.7 m, and the female is even smaller. The body of the bear is covered with dark brown or black silky hair, this bear also has very large ears and a sharp muzzle.

A distinctive feature of this species is a white or slightly yellow spot on the chest. These representatives of the bear family live in Afghanistan, Iran, and the countries of the Far East, as well as in the mountains of the Himalayas.

There is still a huge number of subspecies that can be listed and described indefinitely. Bright representatives of predators of this species include such bears as: Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), Gubach bear (Melursus ursinus), Bamboo bear, commonly known as panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), and many other.

Habitat

The habitat of these graceful representatives of the fauna is very diverse, they are present on all continents. They mostly prefer to settle in the forests and lead a solitary lifestyle.

All types of bears are tied to their territory, where they hunt and stay for the winter, the only exception to this rule is the polar bear.

Menu for the Predator

Bears eat absolutely everything, it can be berries and mushrooms, nuts and various roots, all kinds of meat and fish, ants, larvae and honey of bees can serve as a delicacy for animals, there are among bears and vegans, these are pandas and koalas.

Among all the variety of bears, polar bears are again pure predators, whose diet includes only fish and meat.

How the animal bear is born

Mating of bears occurs during the mating season (for each of the species this is a different period). Also, depending on belonging to a particular species, the pregnancy period of bears varies and lasts from 180 to 250 days.

Childbirth occurs during wintering, when the animal hibernates. The female gives birth to 1-4 cubs, weighing from 450 grams to half a kilogram, they have neither teeth nor hair.

Milk feeding lasts about a year, and the cubs from the previous litter (petuns) help the mother in raising the babies until they reach the age of two.