In the forests, the title of animal king rightfully belongs to the bear. People constantly study the habits of bears and make amazing discoveries. Moreover, some of them people learned to tame.
Description, structure, how it looks
The bear is the largest predator on the planet, surpassing in size even a lion and a tiger. The beast has been walking the Earth for almost 5 million years, and during this time he managed to gain a foothold in the status of one of the most dangerous. The sizes of different species are in the range of 1.2 to 3 meters, and the mass varies from 40 kg to a ton. Bears have a massive body, a thick neck and a large round head.
The predator is endowed with powerful jaws that help to gnaw any food. Large fangs are located on the sides of the small front teeth. The beast moves on thick bent legs.
Interesting fact: due to the fact that the bear's paws are slightly curved to the side, he claws. But this does not prevent him from running fast, developing a speed of up to 50 km / h.
The bear is not only well versed in the forest, but also swims perfectly. Any species is able to travel long distances on water. And white does have membranes on its paws, allowing it to swim even faster. The beast perfectly climbs trees, climbing them literally in a few seconds. All this makes him an excellent pursuer, who in any circumstances can catch prey, wherever she hides.
The hearing and vision of the bears are poorly developed, which can not be said about the sense of smell. The animal is able to smell even a faint smell and determine the direction from which it comes. Due to this, it is well oriented in space.
The color of the fur of a bear depends on its species. It can be black, brown, white. Skin color is also determined by this parameter. White has black skin under the coat. This helps to get more heat from the sun in cold climates. In brown, it is gray. Sometimes a rare disease occurs in bears, due to which the hair on the body is almost completely absent. The most famous in this regard is the female Dolores, who lives in the Leipzig Zoo.
Lifestyle
All types of bears are sedentary. The exception is white, which can periodically wander and occupy new territories. Bears live together with cubs while they master in the world around. Adult males keep one by one and occupy a certain location. If several individuals live in one forest, then each one respects the established boundaries, hunting only on its own lands.
Interesting fact: bears mark territory, leaving marks on trees with claws. Also, the beast designates its borders with the help of smell.
Throughout the day, the bear walks through its territory and seeks food. Having plenty of food, the predator returns to the den - a large hole dug in the ground. There he sleeps and rests. Closer to winter, the beast begins to eat food in large quantities in order to gain weight. With the onset of cold weather, he hibernates, and his body functions due to fat, the mass of which can reach up to 200 kg. This is enough to be in a state of suspended animation for several months without harm to health.
Nutrition, what does a bear eat?
The bear perfectly adapts to environmental conditions and is able to eat almost any food. They can eat both berries and fruits of trees, and various animals: rabbits, moose, deer and other herbivores can be in the belly of the beast. Individuals living near water can enter them and fish. The bear has an excellent reaction, which allows you to capture any fast creature, even under water.
Especially the beast is sweet. Because of this, he often visits the beehives to feast on honey.The thick coat and dense skin make it virtually immune to insect bites.
The diet of a particular species depends on the habitat. The polar bear, living in a cold climate, eats only living creatures, since berries and trees do not grow in these territories. And the Himalayan can feast on insects and frogs, since they are easy prey and are present in abundance on these lands.
Area - where the bear lives
Most species of bears live in forests, but they can be found in plains, mountains, and coastal areas. The beast is distributed in Eurasia, America, the Arctic and Africa. Also, some species live in Japan, Australia.
The animal adapts well to environmental conditions. He can live in hot or cold climates, use lairs, ravines and caves of rocks as an overnight stay.
Interesting fact: in the process of evolution, the polar bear acquired a colorless coat, as it penetrates the sun's rays well. They fall on black skin and transmit a lot of heat to the body.
Breeding
Males and females live separately. But when the mating season begins, the male comes to the territory of the partner with the goal of producing offspring. Most species breed from May to June. Several bears can claim one bear, and then fights begin, after which the weak one leaves to the side.
Cubs appear every two to four years, their number varies from one to four. Moreover, the male can come to the same female for several years.
Pregnancy lasts from 180 to 220 days, childbirth always occurs in the winter, because the embryo does not begin to mature before November. With the onset of cold weather, the female who has eaten off and gained weight hibernates. And when the moment comes, cubs appear in the den. Their weight is about a pound and a size of 20 cm.
In the first weeks, the cubs are almost completely bald, have no teeth. Their eyes are closed. During this period, they actively feed on mother’s milk, gain weight and develop. Until the onset of warmth, they sit in the den and wait for the moment when the mother will be ready to go outside, finally awakening from hibernation. By the age of three months, they weigh 15 kg and have the full composition of milk teeth.
In the first couple of years, offspring live with the female. They are trained in survival, hunting and continue to develop. When the time comes, mature individuals go in search of new territories that will become their home.
Natural enemies
The bear, being a real forest king, has no enemies among animals. Any beast that has noticed a healthy silhouette will try to hide from sight as quickly as possible without entering into conflict.
Interesting fact: Cases have been recorded when wolves flew in packs at the sight of a bear. Even despite the numerical superiority, other predators prefer not to come into conflict with this beast.
But the bear, in turn, is a walking nuisance for almost all the animals that meet him on his way. Depending on his mood and degree of hunger, he can pounce on any animal.
Perhaps the only one who dares to attack the bear is man. Since the beast grows to large sizes, one individual is able to give tens of kilograms of meat and a large warm skin.
How many bears live - in the wild and in zoos
Bears grow and develop for quite some time by animal standards. They reach maturity only by 4-6 years, and finally their body finishes to form only by 10-11. During this period, they gain weight and grow.
In the natural habitat, many species live on average 27-30 years. During this time, the bear may encounter various factors and adverse conditions that can significantly reduce this period.
In artificial conditions, with proper care, the animal lives much longer: up to 45 years.Being in a zoo or reserve where they take care of him, the bear does not need to go hunting, load the body with long trips and perform other actions that can damage his body. Accordingly, animals have the opportunity to calmly grow and develop and not spoil their health.
Hibernation
In autumn, the bears, feeling the approach of cold weather, begin to eat everything they meet in their path. This is necessary to gain as much weight as possible, due to which they will be able to exist during hibernation. Some bears eat up to 200 kg before entering suspended animation.
Active weight gain is not accidental, and any individual tries to eat more than necessary. After all, if the body’s reserves are not enough for the entire winter period, the bear will wake up ahead of time. He will have no choice but to leave the den and go in search of food. But when everything is covered with snow, it is quite difficult for the beast to adapt quickly and provide itself with everything necessary. Moreover, some bears that do not have enough reserves may not fall asleep at all. Then they will have to survive from the first day of winter, and often they do not succeed.
Interesting fact: bears who did not hibernate or who left it prematurely are called rods. They are very aggressive, hungry and rush at everything that moves.
Hibernation in a bear lasts approximately 200 days. During this period, the beast is in a state of suspended animation. He does not move, does not eat, but simply sleeps. At the same time, processes in his body slow down by 55%. The heartbeat drops to 8 beats per minute, instead of the usual 50-55. In this state, the animal can remain until the internal resources of the body are over.
The bear hibernates in its own den, having previously prepared it. Thanks to the thick fur, it is not necessary for him to additionally insulate his home during cold weather. He simply cleans out all that is superfluous and masks the entrance a bit to protect himself from unwanted guests. Although who wants to wake up a potential connecting rod bear?
Does the bear have a tail?
Scientists have found that bears had tails millions of years ago. However, the beast did not use this limb in any way. If most animals use it to control while running, for orientation in space and communication, the predator emphasized the development of smell and physical power. As a result, the bear’s tail gradually began to decrease until it completely disappeared.
Now almost all rear views have a regular leather flap, which does not exceed four inches in length. Bears cannot move them, and this kind of tail just dangles from behind.
Types of bears, photos and names
The bear population is divided into eight main species living in a particular territory. Each has a unique appearance and behavior. Since animals adapt well in nature, each family has developed individual habits depending on environmental conditions.
Brown bear
The most common species, called due to the color of the coat. Its representatives have a standard appearance: brown fur, large sizes, round muzzle and curved limbs.
Brown bear lives in Europe, Russia, North America and other territories. For life, they choose a forest area where they seek food.
Polar bear
They are also called polar. This species is the largest: the size of adults can reach up to three meters, and weight up to a ton. It lives in the polar regions of the northern hemisphere and is perfectly adapted to the cold climate.
Thanks to the white color, bears can disguise themselves in the snow and sneak up on prey. And thanks to the membranes on their feet, they can quickly swim and get any underwater production. Due to environmental conditions they are natural predators and feed only on flesh.However, despite the daily hunt, polar bears have a rather mild and friendly character.
Grizzly
The maximum size of individuals is 2.8 meters, and the maximum weight reaches 600 kg. A distinctive feature of the grizzly bear is its long claws on its legs, which help to fish in local water bodies. She makes up most of the diet.
Interesting fact: since the brown hair on the sun has a faded hue, grizzly is also called the “gray bear”.
This species lives in America, most of the population is concentrated in Alaska. They inhabit forest areas with rivers adjacent to them. The latter serve as a stable source of fish.
Baribal
It has a black color and small size compared to the above species. Adults grow up to 2 meters. Also, many have light brown fur around their nose. In terms of habits and lifestyle, they practically do not differ from the brown. Baribal lives in North America.
Malay bear
Perhaps the smallest species of bear, the size of which does not exceed one and a half meters. It is also called biruang. It lives in Indonesia, China and Thailand. His fur in different parts of the body is black, brown and light. In addition to its small size, the Malay bear differs from others in large paws with long claws. It is also considered one of the first species that appeared on Earth millions of years ago.
Himalayan bear
This look is easy to distinguish from the rest thanks to the white pattern in the form of a checkmark on the chest. Because of her, he is also called white-breasted. Adults grow to 1.7 meters. Himalayan bear lives in China, Vietnam, Tibet, Korea and Afghanistan.
Spectacled bear
Lives in South America, Colombia, Peru, Panama and Ecuador. A distinctive feature of the species are yellowish rings around the eyes. Adult specimens of a spectacled bear grow to 1.8 meters.
Gubach Bear
It differs from the rest in elongated dog-like muzzle and long hair. Gubach has a black color with white spots on the chest. This species lives in Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Keeping a bear at the zoo
Many zoos contain different types of bears. In order for the animal to feel comfortable in captivity, suitable conditions must be recreated for him. The enclosure must be filled with stones, earth and logs. Also, it will not be superfluous to place a small pool. Feeding the beast is required by the food that he would get in nature at this time of year.
Security
The brown bear is listed in the Red Book, which is why it is forbidden to hunt it. Despite the fact that this species is not on the verge of extinction, its population is growing very slowly.
In 1975, the USSR, Canada, Norway, England and Denmark launched a special program for the conservation of brown bears. Now the cubs are artificially bred in specially equipped reserves, and when they become adults, they are released into the wild.
Population and species status
At present, approximately 205 thousand brown bears live on Earth, with 130 thousand of them in Russia. There are also some species that have been completely exterminated. These include grizzly bear, Atlas bear.
People around the world are trying to take care of the bears and increase their numbers. However, because of poachers, this is not always possible. To protect the beast, special reserves are being built, where it can calmly grow and breed.
What is the difference between a brown bear and a white bear
Both species have a number of individual characteristics. Polar bears live in the cold of the polar regions, while brown ones prefer a temperate climate and territories with a large number of trees. Polar individuals have an elongated neck and a narrow muzzle, while in the forest, on the contrary, a round head planted close to the shoulders. Under the fur, the former have black skin, and the latter gray.
The polar bear is larger: its size reaches 3 meters, and its weight is up to a ton, and the brown bear grows to an average of 2 meters and weighs no more than 800 kg. The latter also hibernates every winter, and the polar species, since it is perfectly adapted in the cold, may not even go to bed or fall into suspended animation for only a short time.
A brown bear is omnivorous and is able to feed on berries, animals, and even insects, while a white bear preys only on living things.
Origin of the species
Bears appeared about 5 million years ago. Martens became their ancestors. It is believed that the first individuals lived in what is now France, where their remains were discovered. A careful study helped to establish that the ancient DNA species almost completely coincides with the Malayan one. Gradually, the bears began to expand their territories, populating Europe and Asia.
Interesting fact: The first species of bears were not large. Being the ancestors of the martens, they still resembled this beast in appearance.
Due to the development of new lands and changes in environmental conditions, the bears began to evolve and divide into different species. About 2 million years ago, black and brown appeared, which significantly exceeded the relatives in size.
