Polar bears - brown bears - photos of bears. Types of bears Embroidery family of bears

Bears are the largest predators living on our planet, both 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, worshiped the irresistible power of the bear, and on the other hand, they considered it a desirable and honorable hunting trophy.

Brown bears (Ursus arctos).

Systematically, 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 very graceful and maneuverable in movement; the bear's clubbed gait has become synonymous with clumsiness.

Bears' paws are wide and flat.

However, the bear is not as simple as it seems at first glance; if necessary, it can make dashes at speeds of 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 the white one can be called a typical meat-eater, the other species are practically omnivores, and the spectacled bear, even in to a greater extent vegetarian than carnivore. The body of all types of bears is covered with thick, coarse hair.

Black bear (Ursus americanus) during molting.

This fur, on the one hand, allows bears to endure severe cold and colonize the northernmost habitats; on the other hand, it slows down their spread to the south. Modern bear species 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 lifestyle and meet each other only to mate. 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 do their best to protect their babies from danger. Although different types of bears retain general typological similarities, they differ from each other appearance, habits and lifestyle.

Brown bear (Ursus arctos)

It ranks second in size 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 only 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 colors ranging 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) natural areas) range, and in different parts of it animals are forced to adapt to different climatic conditions. In general, the further north you go, the larger bears, and vice versa. This happens because in the north it is easier for large animals to stay warm, while in the south, on the contrary, smaller specimens have 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; due to the dense population and lack of territory, they simply have nowhere to live. They survive in relatively large numbers in sparsely populated areas of the USA, Canada and Siberia. By the way, the American grizzly bear is not a separate species of bear, but just a 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 dens in windbreaks and 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. They actually spend all this time in deep sleep, from which only serious danger or hunger can awaken them. Hungry bears, who do not have fat reserves for a safe winter, emerge from hibernation early or do not sleep at all. Such bears are called “connecting rods”. "Connecting rods" are very aggressive and can even attack a person. Usually, bears prefer solitude and try not to be seen by humans. Moreover, a bear taken by surprise may display cowardice that is shameful for such a giant. Experienced hunters know well that a sudden sound can cause a bear... acute intestinal upset! This is where the expression “bear disease” originates.

Brown bears feed on almost everything that comes their way. They happily eat berries, mushrooms, nuts and other fruits; they will not refuse young greens; 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 in the thousands. A bear will not miss a nest of wild bees or an apiary in the hope of getting honey and larvae.

A young brown bear examines the bark of a tree in search of edible animals.

The rivers in which salmon spawn are under special control by bears. Every autumn, with the beginning of spawning, bears gather on their banks and begin mass fishing. To do this, the bear enters the water and waits patiently for the salmon to swim past. Bears catch fish jumping out of the water on rapids literally on the fly. Thanks to such fishing, bears fatten up before going into hibernation. For this reason, they even forget about enmity and are tolerant of each other as long as there is enough food for everyone. In search of plant food, bears show miracles of dexterity and even climb trees with ease, which is surprising for animals of such dimensions.

Roaring males engage in fierce fights with each other.

The bear rut lasts throughout the summer.

A mother bear feeds her cubs while lying down.

In this case, bears can injure and even kill the enemy. Pregnancy is relatively short - 6-8 months. A bear gives birth in a dream, or rather during hibernation 2-3 (less often 1 or 4) bear 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 emerge as adults.

Little bear cubs are very meek and obedient. This property is often used by animal trainers who raise bears with early age. Bear cubs quickly learn tricks and perform them until they are approximately 2-3 years old. Then the 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 from last year help the mother 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.

You can guess that a polar bear has black skin just by looking at its feet.

This coloring is not accidental. Sunlight passes through colorless hairs and is absorbed by dark skin, thus solar energy is accumulated in the form of heat on the surface of the body. Polar bear fur works just like the real thing solar battery! Hollow hairs often harbor microscopic algae, which can turn the hair yellowish, pinkish, or even green tint. This fur structure is very rational, because the polar bear lives to the north of all other species. Its habitat is circumpolar, that is, it covers North Pole around the circumference.

This polar bear living in a zoo is clearly bothered by the heat.

Polar bears can be found throughout the Arctic: on the mainland coast, remote islands and in the depths of 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 travels; they are very hardy, tolerate prolonged hunger well and are excellent swimmers, which helps them overcome large spaces. free water between continents and islands. There is a known record when a polar bear spent 9(!) days in the water. Because of global warming The ice surface in the Arctic is constantly decreasing, 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 the rest of their diet consists of fish and seals. Bears lie in wait for seals near 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 from many kilometers away. In times of hunger, they do not disdain carrion, eating the carcasses of dead whales.

Two polar bears share a whale carcass. Seagulls are hovering nearby - the bears' eternal companions. They accompany predators in the hope of profiting from the remains of their prey.

Among polar bears, males never hibernate, and females set up dens only in connection with pregnancy. A polar bear's den is a simple snowdrift formed by snow drifts around the animal's body. Due to the lack of places suitable for arranging dens, females often gather on a limited area of ​​​​convenient islands, creating a kind of “maternity hospital”. 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 rests right in 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 photographer.

Black bear, or baribal (Ursus americanus).

The black bear's range covers almost the entire North American continent, where it often coexists with the brown bear. This species is not particularly rare, and thanks to its protection in nature reserves, in some areas it even reaches the outskirts of cities. In general, this animal resembles a medium-sized brown bear weighing 120-150 kg. But there are some differences: the fur of a black bear is usually darker, the muzzle is more elongated and colored white or yellowish, the ears of the baribal are relatively large, and the claws are long.

In a black bear litter you can often find cubs of different colors.

These claws help the black bear climb trees, because he is an excellent climber. Baribal, more than other bears, loves to climb and feed in trees.

While the mother is busy searching for food, the cub learns to climb trees.

The black bear eats the same food as the brown bear, but its diet is dominated by plant foods and it never attacks large animals. And his character is more flexible. 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 in size than brown bears, reaching a weight of 140-150 kg.

Himalayan bears are only black in color, and have white or white on their chests. yellow spot shaped like a V.

The Himalayan bear has the largest ears relative to its body size. The Himalayan bear lives only in the Far East, from Primorye in the north to Indochina in the south. This bear is also similar in lifestyle and habits to the brown one, only its character is calmer and its diet is dominated by plant foods. Distinctive feature This species is that bears do not make traditional dens, but prefer to settle down for the winter in hollows.

Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus).

The territorial neighbor of the Himalayan bear, the range of the sloth bear also covers Southeast Asia. But the appearance of the animal is very original. The sloth fish is a kind of “hippie” in the bear family. What self-respecting hippie wouldn't try to stand out from his surroundings?

The coloration of the sloth bear is very similar to the Himalayan bear, but its fur is very long and thick. The claws are also of extraordinary length.

And the sponger surprises. First of all, the way of obtaining food. The sloth fish feeds on various plants, invertebrates and other small animals. But he has a special passion for ants and termites. The long claws of the sloth whale are used to destroy durable termite mounds. When the sponger gets to the contents of the termite mound, he first blows air through his lips, folded into a tube, and then begins to suck in insects through the gap between his front teeth. For this reason, he even lacks front incisors. During feeding, the sloth fish resembles a vacuum cleaner and produces no less noise. At other moments of its life, the sponger also shows carelessness: he usually sleeps during the day and, unlike other bears, does not seek to hide in the wilderness: a sleeping sloth can be caught right in the middle of some clearing, but this meeting is unlikely to be a surprise. The fact is that the sloth fish also snores loudly and can be heard from afar. The sloth fish has reasons for such behavior - it simply does not have natural enemies. The only danger may come from the tiger, with which the sloth fish is on an equal footing. By the way, the sloth bear is the main contender, along with the Himalayan bear, for the role of Baloo from Rudyard Kipling’s book. Most likely, this is what the author had in mind when he wrote The Jungle Book.

Malayan bear (Helarctos malayanus).

The smallest species of bear, its weight reaches only 65 kg.

Its fur is very short, which makes the Malayan bear unlike a “real” bear.

It lives in Indochina and on the islands of the Malay Archipelago. This animal refutes the myth that bears 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 hunts only small animals. This bear does not hibernate.

Malayan bears in the zoo.

Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus).

The only representative of the bear family living 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 its eyes that resemble glasses.

The spectacled bear is the most herbivorous of all. This is a very rare animal that few people have been able to see in natural conditions. The world's leading zoos are involved in a breeding program for spectacled bears.

A spectacled bear cub studies zoo visitors from behind a fence.

Where is the panda? interesting view bears? But whether a panda is a bear is a question that still haunts scientists. Many zoologists are inclined 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.

Bears have unique status among animals: not as cute as dogs or cats, not as dangerous as wolves or mountain lions, but majestic enough to inspire fear, admiration and even envy. In this article, you will discover 10 interesting facts about bears, from how they winter to the peculiarities of communication.

1. Bear family (Ursidae) includes 8 modern species

Species name	Area	Peculiarities
(Ursus americanus)	North America and Mexico	Smooth black fur and small body size, relative to brown bears. The muzzle is sharp, with a light spot. The diet consists mainly of leaves, buds, berries and nuts.
Himalayan or white-breasted bear (Ursus thibetanus)	southeast Asia and Far East Russia	The coat color is black, with a yellowish-white spot on the chest. In behavior, body shape and diet they are similar to baribals.
(Ursus arctos)	North America, Europe and Asia	It is one of the largest terrestrial carnivorous mammals in the world, among the bear family. In terms of body size, it is inferior to the polar bear. The coat color varies from cream to black and depends on the habitat.
(Ursus maritimus)	Arctic, northern Canada and Alaska.	A close relative of the brown bear. In terms of body size, inferior elephant seal. When polar bears are not living on drift ice or shorelines, they swim in open water hunting seals and walruses.
(Aeluropoda melanoleuca)	central and southern regions of Western China	It feeds on bamboo, leaves and stems. This animal has a distinctive coat color: its ears, eyes, nose, front and hind limbs are black, and the rest of the body is white.
Gubach (Melursus ursinus)	southeast Asia	This type of bear has long, shaggy coats and white patches on the chest. They feed on termites, which they find using their keen sense of smell.
(Tremarctos ornatos)	South America	They are the only species of the family found in South America. They inhabit tropical forests at altitudes of more than 1000 meters. Spectacled bears once lived in coastal deserts and high mountain grasslands, but humans limited their geographic range. The fur is black, with light spots on the face, neck and chest.
Malayan bear or biruang (Helarctos malayanus)	southeast Asia	These are the smallest representatives of bears. Their fur is dark, smooth and short. The muzzle and limbs are light, and on the chest there is a white or red spot in the shape of a horseshoe. The tongue is thin and long.

2. All types of bears have similar anatomical features

There are some minor differences, but all eight species of bears described in the previous paragraph of this article have approximately the same appearance: large torsos, massive limbs, narrow muzzles, long hair, short tails and plantigrade walking (that is, bears, unlike most other mammals, walk on the ground on their entire foot, like humans). Most bears also eat a variety of animals, fruits and vegetables, with two important exceptions: the polar bear is largely carnivorous and hunts seals and walruses, and giant panda feeds only on vegetation, mainly bamboo (though, oddly enough, its digestive system is relatively well adapted to digesting meat).

3. Bears are solitary animals

Bears may be considered the most antisocial mammals in the world. Courtship between adult males and females is very brief, and after mating, the females go off to raise their young on their own for about three years and then mate again with the males. Adult bears are almost completely solitary, which is good news for tourists who happen upon a lone grizzly bear in wildlife, but an unusual occurrence considering that most other carnivorous and omnivorous mammals (from wolves to pigs) gather in at least small groups.

4. Pinnipeds are the closest relatives of bears

Given the spread of so-called "bear dogs" millions of years ago, including a member of the amphicyon family, Amphicyon (see photo above), it can be assumed that modern bears are most closely related to canids. In fact, molecular analysis shows that bears' closest living relatives are pinnipeds, a family of marine mammals that includes seals and walruses. Both of these families of mammals descend from a common ancestor, ancestor, or "concestor," who lived briefly during the Eocene epoch, about 40-50 million years ago, although the precise identification of the ancestor species remains a matter of debate.

5. Bear (English "bear") is a derivative of the ancient German word brown ("brown")

Considering that the population medieval Europe didn't have large quantity contacts with polar bears or pandas, it is logical that peasants associated bears with their brown color - which originates from the ancient Germanic word "bera". Bears are also known as "ursines", a word that has even more ancient origin in Proto-Indo-European languages, and was used in 3500 BC.

This obsession with bears is quite natural, given that the first settlers of Eurasia lived in close proximity to cave bears and sometimes worshiped these animals as gods.

6. Most bears hibernate in winter.

Since the vast majority of bears live in high northern latitudes, they need a way to survive in winter months when food is dangerously scarce. Bears go into deep sleep for several months, during which their heart rate and metabolic processes slow down significantly. However, hibernation does not equate to coma: if a bear is awakened, it can wake up in the middle of its hibernation, and females can even give birth while in deep winter sleep.

There is evidence that cave lions hunted wintering cave bears during the last ice age. Some of these bears woke up and killed the intruders.

7. Bears are extremely vocal animals

Depending on the species, a bear's basic communication needs can be expressed by seven or eight different "sounds" - snorting, chomping, groaning, roaring, woofing, growling, purring and coughing. As you may have guessed, the most dangerous sounds for humans are roars and growls, which indicate a frightened or excited animal defending its territory. A bear snorts, as a rule, during the breeding season. Purrs are used by cubs demanding attention from their mothers (the sound is a little similar to cats, but much louder), and moans express anxiety or a sense of danger.

Giant pandas are a little different vocabulary than their bearish counterparts; in addition to the sounds described above, they may also chirp, scream and moo.

8. Bears exhibit sexual dimorphism

Like close relatives, seals and walruses, bears have noticeably pronounced sexual dimorphism: males are much larger than females, and the larger the male, the more more difference in sizes. (A male brown bear, for example, weighs about 500 kg, and females are only slightly more than half his weight.) However, even though females are smaller than males; They are not at all helpless and quite energetically protect the cubs from male bears, not to mention any such stupid individuals who decide to interfere in the process of raising cubs.

Male bears sometimes attack and kill cubs of their own species in order to encourage females to reproduce again.

9. Bears are not suitable for domestication.

Over the past 10,000 years, humans have domesticated cats, dogs, pigs and cattle, so why haven't they domesticated bears, animals with which Homo sapiens have coexisted since the end of the Pleistocene era? As described in point No. 3, bears are solitary animals, so there is no room for a human owner who wishes to take a dominant position in the hierarchy. In addition, bears have such a varied diet that it would be difficult to adhere to, even with a well-tamed animal.

Perhaps most importantly, bears are restless and aggressive, so there are no suitable bears to keep in your home or yard as pets!

10. Bears are one of the most endangered animals on Earth

Considering that early humans worshiped bears as gods, relations with ursines over the past few hundred years have left much to be desired. Bears are particularly susceptible to habitat destruction and sport hunting. They are killed when they encounter people in the wild. Today, the most endangered members of the bear family are pandas (due to deforestation and human encroachment) and polar bears (due to global warming); Although black and brown bear populations are of least concern, they may decline significantly as adverse interactions with humans increase and their habitat becomes increasingly depleted.

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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 various types 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 the animals are more late period already resembled modern bears both in 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 canines 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). That's why vegetable fibers and the 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. Prefers to settle in old forest areas, avoids wide open spaces, but can also 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 one is a pika eater from the mountains Central Asia, and the largest are 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 North 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, sea ​​hares, 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 the 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.

Black bear sizes vary depending on geographical 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 special love to honey: he 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. Found in a wide variety of biotypes: mountainous and humid tropical forests, 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.

The diet of spectacled bears varies in different habitats, but food predominates everywhere plant origin(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.

Giant 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 onions 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 geographic 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.

Bears are very strong and agile animals, although they seem clumsy. They are good tree climbers, skilled swimmers, fast runners, and can stand and walk short distances on their hind legs. Almost all bears have a powerful body, strong paws with large claws, and a short tail.

Different species of bears live in the most different conditions. They thrive in the steppes and highlands, in forests and in arctic ice. Today they distinguish 8 main species of this family with many subspecies.

Clubfoot brown bears(Ursus arctos) occupy various places habitats, from desert regions to high mountain forests and ice fields. In North America they seem to prefer open areas such as tundra, alpine meadows and coastlines. In Siberia, this species is mainly found in forests, greatest number individuals in Europe are largely limited to mountain forests.

If someone carelessly wakes a brown bear during hibernation, expect trouble. If he doesn't have enough stored fat, he may wake up early. Such animals are called connecting rods. Meeting them is very dangerous, because a hungry animal behaves aggressively. It is very difficult to escape from him. At a short distance, a bear can outrun even a horse.

Bears are excellent fishermen. If he sees a fish not far from the shore, he stands on his hind legs and jumps into the water, and then presses the poor fish to the bottom and bites it so that it does not escape. Then it pulls the prey ashore and begins to feast on it.

One of the largest living predators, the grizzly bear, which is a subspecies of the brown bear, ranges from 1 to 2.8 meters in length, with a tail ranging from 65 to 210 mm long. Its weight varies from 80 to more than 600 kg. He has incredible great strength and is capable of pulling a deer, horse or bull carcass weighing 400-500 kg. for several kilometers through steep mountains, thorny bushes or impenetrable forests.

Many scientists believe spectacled bear(Tremarctos ornatus) is the most herbivorous, but others argue that it is the only representative of the bears that feeds exclusively on plants. It is named so because it has white spots around its eyes, reminiscent of glasses. He chose South America as his habitat, where he leads twilight and night image life, and also does not hibernate. The spectacled bear's head is rounded and its snout is relatively short compared to other bear species.

From my brothers sponger(Melursus ursinus) is distinguished by a hard shaggy coat, a long white muzzle and very mobile lips. Through his moving lips, this bear was named - sponger. Thanks to its long curved claws, a bear can long time hanging on a branch upside down like a sloth, for which it received another name “sloth bear”. Despite the rather large size of the sloth fish, it weighs about 300 kg; its main food is ants and termites. It is precisely in order to rake anthills that it needs a long muzzle and wide paws with long claws. When a termite mound breaks, the sponger first blows out dirt and dust with force, and then sucks up insects through its elongated lips, like an anteater. The sloth bear is a rare bear, lives in the forests of India, has protective status and is listed in the International Red Book.

(Helarctos malayanus) or Malayan bear, which lives in the mountain forests of Asia, is the smallest of all bears, only a little over a meter tall and weighing 30-60 kg. This handsome guy is “dressed” in a black fur coat, decorated on his chest with a yellow horseshoe, similar to the disk of the sun. Therefore, very often it is also called the “sun bear”. The biruanga has large paws with very long claws, with the help of which it easily climbs a tree to sleep or feast on bee honey.

These clubfooted predators sleep and rest in nests that they build in trees at a height of 3-7 meters, breaking or bending tree branches. Biruangs never hibernate. Another feature smallest bear is his very long and sticky tongue, with the help of which it is much easier for him to get termites, ants and worms, which he loves to feast on, and it is much more convenient to get tasty honey with such a “spoon”. That’s why they also called him “honey bear.” In addition, he does not refuse to savor lizards or birds; he loves to gnaw on young shoots of a coconut palm and chew various tropical fruits.

The largest land predator on the planet polar bear(Ursus maritimus) is listed for humans, it regards people as equal prey and often attacks. Adult males grow up to 2.6 meters in length. Polar bears have large, strong limbs and huge front paws, which are used as oars for swimming. The toes are not webbed, but are great for walking in the snow. The soles of the feet also have small projections and indentations that act like suction cups and help the polar bear walk on ice without slipping. Females are about half the size of males, although a pregnant female with stored fat can exceed 500 kg. Polar bear cubs weigh up to 0.7 kg. at birth.

Baribal, or black bear

(Ursus americanus) North American species. Most hibernate for up to seven months, but in the south, where plant food is available year-round, not all bears hibernate except for pregnant females. The female gives birth to 1-6 cubs (usually 2 or 3) in January while she sleeps deeply in her den. Black bears eat some meat as well as some insects and rely mainly on fruits, nuts and plant foods.

Vulnerable species bamboo bear(Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Most of the giant panda's body and belly are white, contrasting sharply with the black ears, black limbs and shoulders, and black spots above the eyes. It has a relatively large head and large, muscular jaws that allow it to crush bamboo. Today, the bear's distribution is limited to six distinct mountain ranges in western China, on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, in the provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi and Sichuan.

(Ursus thibetanus) usually avoids humans and attacks only when they are wounded or trying to protect their young. It has a stocky body, a round head and big ears. It has a yellow, crescent-shaped spot on its chest, which is why it is called the "moon bear" in some areas. Muzzle also pale color. The female gives birth to 2 cubs in a safe winter den. The cubs remain with their mother for 1 to 1.5 years. At the north pole of their range, black bears may hibernate to survive cold winters, although they mostly migrate to colder winters. warm areas and thus avoid the need for hibernation.

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The bear is the most large predator on the ground. This animal belongs to the class mammals, order carnivores, family bears, genus bears (lat. 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 big head. Powerful jaws make it easy to chew through 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 its 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 species of bears are good swimmers. The polar bear has a special membrane between its toes for this purpose. The lifespan of a bear can reach 45 years.

Bears do not have sharp eyesight or well-developed hearing. This is compensated by an excellent sense of smell. Sometimes animals stand on their hind legs to use their sense of smell to obtain information about their surroundings.

Thick bear fur covering the body has a different color: from reddish-brown to black, white 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) (lat. 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, barely noticeable tail, and large paws with very powerful claws. The body of a brown bear is covered with thick fur with brownish, dark gray, and reddish colors, which vary depending on the habitat of the “clubfoot”. Baby bear cubs often have large light tan marks on the chest or neck area, although these marks disappear with age.

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

Polar (white) bear (lat. Ursus maritimus). It is the largest representative of the family: its body length often reaches 3 meters, and its weight can exceed one ton. It has a long neck and a slightly flattened head - this distinguishes it from its counterparts of other species. The color of the bear’s fur is from boiling white to slightly yellowish; the hairs are hollow inside, so they give the bear’s “fur coat” excellent thermal insulation properties. The soles of the paws are thickly lined with tufts of coarse hair, which allows the polar bear to easily move across the ice without slipping. There is a membrane between the toes that facilitates the swimming process. The habitat of this bear species is the circumpolar regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Baribal (black bear) (lat. Ursus americanus). The bear is a little similar to its 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 female bears are even smaller - their body is usually 1.5 meters long. pointed muzzle, long paws, ending with rather short feet - this is what makes this representative of bears remarkable. By the way, baribals can become black only in the third year of life, receiving a gray or brownish color at birth. The black bear's habitat is vast: from the vastness of Alaska to the territories of Canada and hot Mexico.

Malayan bear (biruang)(lat. Helarctos malayanus). 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 the large, long feet with huge claws look a little disproportionate. The body is covered with short and very tough black-brown fur; the animal’s chest is “decorated” with a white-red spot. The Malayan bear lives in the southern regions of China, Thailand and Indonesia.

White-breasted (Himalayan) bear(lat. Ursus thibetanus). The slender physique of the Himalayan bear is not very different large sizes- this representative of the family is two times smaller than its brown relative: the male has a length of 1.5-1.7 meters, while the height at the withers is only 75-80 cm, the females are even smaller. The bear's body, covered with shiny and silky fur of dark brown or black color, is crowned by a head with a pointed muzzle and large round ears. A mandatory “attribute” of the Himalayan bear’s appearance is a spectacular white or yellowish spot on the chest. This species of bear lives in Iran and Afghanistan, and is found in mountainous areas The Himalayas, on the territory of Korea, Vietnam, China and Japan, feel at ease in the vastness of the Khabarovsk Territory and in the south of Yakutia.

Spectacled bear (lat. Tremarctos ornatus). A 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 fur of the spectacled bear is shaggy, has a black or black-brown tint, and there are always white-yellow rings around the eyes, smoothly turning into a whitish “collar” of fur on the animal’s neck. The habitat of this type of bear is the countries of South America: Colombia and Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, Venezuela and Panama.

Gubach (lat. Melursus ursinus). A predator with a body length of up to 1.8 meters, height at the withers varies from 65 to 90 centimeters, females are approximately 30% smaller than males in both respects. The body of the sloth fish is massive, the head is large, with a flat forehead and an overly elongated muzzle, which ends in mobile, completely hairless, protruding lips. The bear's fur is long, usually black or dirty brown in color, and in the area of ​​the animal's neck it often forms something like a shaggy mane. The sloth bear's chest has a light spot. The habitat of this type of bear is India, some areas of Pakistan, Bhutan, the territory of Bangladesh and Nepal.

Giant panda (bamboo bear) (lat. 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 smooth and slippery bamboo stems. The structure of the front paws of these bears is very unusually developed: five ordinary fingers are complemented by a large sixth, although it is not a real finger, but a modified bone. Such amazing paws enable the panda to easily handle the thinnest shoots of bamboo. The bamboo bear lives in the mountainous regions of China, with especially large populations living in Tibet and Sichuan.