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We all know these powerful animals from childhood. But few people know what types of bears exist. Pictures in children's books most often introduced us to brown and polar bears. It turns out that on Earth there are several species of these animals. Let's get to know them better.

Bear appearance

If we compare bears with other predators, then they differ in the most uniform appearance, features of the internal structure, and size. Currently, these are the largest representatives of terrestrial predatory animals. For example, polar bears can reach a body length of up to three meters with a weight of 750 and even 1000 kg!

Animal fur has a well-developed undercoat, it is rather rough to the touch. The hairline is high. Only he cannot boast of such a fur coat - his cover is low and rare.

The color is varied - from black to white, it can be contrasting. The color does not change with the seasons.

Lifestyle

Different types of bears live in a variety of conditions. They feel great in the steppes and highlands, in forests and in the Arctic ice. In this regard, bear species differ in their diet and lifestyle. Most representatives of these predators prefer to settle in mountain or lowland forests, much less often in treeless highlands.

Bears are active mainly at night. The only exception is the polar bear - a species of animal that leads a daytime lifestyle.

Bears are omnivores. However, some species have a preference for one or another food. For example, a polar bear almost always eats the meat of mammals, for a panda there is no better delicacy than bamboo shoots. True, they supplement it with a small amount of animal food.

Variety of species

Quite often, animal lovers ask the question: “How many species of bears live on Earth?” For those who are interested in these animals, it seems that there are a myriad of them. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Today, our planet is inhabited by species of bears, the list of which can be presented as follows:

There are subspecies and varieties of these animals, but we will talk about this in another article.

brown bears

These are large and seemingly clumsy animals. They belong to the bear family. Body length - from 200 to 280 cm.

This is a fairly common look. lives throughout the Eurasian and North American forests. Today, this predator has completely disappeared from the territory of Japan, although in ancient times it was common here. On the territory of Western and Central Europe, a brown bear can be found quite rarely, in some mountainous areas. There is reason to believe that in these areas it is an endangered species. The brown bear is still widespread in Siberia, the Far East and the northern regions of our country.

Brown bears are sedentary animals. A forest area occupied by one individual can reach several hundred square kilometers. It cannot be said that bears strictly guard the borders of their territories. Each site has permanent places where the animal feeds, builds temporary shelters and dens.

Despite being sedentary, this predator can roam in search of more abundant food over a distance of more than 300 kilometers in famine years.

hibernation

Everyone knows that brown bears hibernate in winter. Previously, he carefully prepares his lair, which he equips in hard-to-reach places - on islands in the middle of swamps, in a windbreak. The bear lines the bottom of its winter dwelling with dry grass or moss.

To safely survive the winter, the bear must accumulate at least fifty kilograms of fat. To do this, he eats about 700 kilograms of berries and about 500 kilograms of pine nuts, not counting other feeds. When there is a lean year for berries, bears in the northern regions make raids on fields sown with oats, and in the south - on corn crops. Some bears attack apiaries and ruin them.

Many believe that during hibernation, animals fall into suspended animation. This is not entirely true. They sleep pretty well. During hibernation, when the animal lies motionless, its cardiac and pulmonary systems slow down their activity. The body temperature of a bear ranges from 29 to 34 degrees. Every 5-10 breaths there is a long pause, sometimes lasting up to four minutes. In this state, the fat supply is used sparingly. If during this period the bear is raised from the den, it begins to quickly lose weight and is in dire need of food. Such a bear turns into a "tramp", or, as the people call it, a connecting rod. In this state, he is very dangerous.

Depending on climatic conditions, the predator can hibernate for three to six months. In the presence of food in the southern regions, bears generally may not fall into continuous hibernation, but fall asleep only for a short time. Females with one-year-old cubs sleep in the same den.

Nutrition

Different types of bears prefer to eat different foods. Animals of this species most often feed on fruits, berries and other plant foods, but sometimes they can eat ants, insect larvae, rodents, along with winter supplies. Quite rarely, males hunt forest ungulates. Despite the outward clumsiness, the brown bear can be very fast and agile. He stealthily sneaks up on his prey and grabs it in a quick throw. At the same time, its speed reaches 50 km / h.

White bears

IUCN - The International Union for Conservation of Nature for the first time in several years has expanded the list of animals that are on the verge of extinction. It has new species. Polar bears were included not only in this international list, but also in the Red Book of Russia. To date, their number is only 25 thousand individuals. According to scientists, this population will decrease by almost 70% in the next 50 years.

Rare species of bears (you can see the photo in our article), which recently include white individuals, suffer from industrial pollution of their habitats, global warming and, of course, poaching.

Appearance

Many believe that white, polar, northern, sea or oshkuy are polar bear species. In fact, this is the name of one species of a predatory mammal from the bear family, the closest relative of the brown bear.

Its length is three meters, weight - about a ton. The largest animals are found off the coast, the smallest - on Svalbard.

Polar bears are distinguished from other species by their long hair and flat head. The color can be completely white or with a yellowish tinge. In the summer, the fur turns yellow under the influence of sunlight. The skin of these animals is black.

The soles of the paws are reliably protected by wool so as not to slip on the ice and not to freeze.

Lifestyle and nutrition

According to scientists, the polar bear is the most predatory of the entire family. After all, he practically does not consume plant foods. Various types of bears (whose photos and names are posted in our article) almost never attack a person first. Unlike their counterparts, the polar bear often preys on people.

The main "menu" of these predators are seals, mainly ringed seals. In addition, he feeds on any animals that he manages to kill. It can be rodents, birds, walruses, whales washed ashore. For the predator itself, killer whales are dangerous, which can sometimes attack in the water.

reproduction

In October, females begin to dig a den in the snow. In mid-November, they settle there. Pregnancy lasts 230-240 days. Cubs are born at the end of the Arctic winter. For the first time, the female brings offspring when she is 4-6 years old. Cubs appear once every two or three years. There are from one to three cubs in a litter. Newborns are completely helpless, weighing about 750 grams. The babies begin to see in a month, after two months their teeth erupt, the babies begin to gradually leave the den. They do not part with a bear until a year and a half. Polar bears are infertile, so their numbers are recovering too slowly.

black bear

It is also called baribal. Its body length is 1.8 m, weight is about 150 kg. The bear has a sharp muzzle, high paws with long and sharp claws, short and smooth black hair. Sometimes the color is black-brown, except for the light yellow muzzle.

The black bear feeds exclusively on plant foods - larvae, insects, and small vertebrates.

Pregnancy of the female lasts up to 210 days, cubs are born in January-February, weighing 400 grams, stay with their mother until April.

Himalayan bear

This animal is inferior in size to the brown one. In addition, these types of bears differ in appearance. The Himalayan bear has a more slender physique, a thin muzzle. Thick and lush hair usually has a black color with a white, sometimes yellowish spot on the chest (it resembles the letter V in shape).

Large adults can reach a length of 170 cm with a weight of 140-150 kg. Habitat - East Asia. In the west, it can be found in Afghanistan, Indochina, on the southern slopes of the Himalayas. On the territory of our country, it is found only in the Ussuri Territory, north of the Amur.

In spring it feeds on last year's acorns and pine nuts. In summer, it enjoys eating juicy grass, berries, and insects. There is evidence that in South Asia it often attacks domestic animals and can be dangerous to humans.

There are usually two cubs in a litter. Their weight does not exceed 400 grams. They develop very slowly, even at the age of a month and a half, they are completely helpless.

Spectacle bear

We continue to study the types of bears, getting acquainted with the indigenous inhabitants of South America. He settles in the mountains - from Colombia to Northern Chile. This is a spectacled bear - an animal of not very large size. Its body, no more than 1.7 m long, weighs about 140 kg.

The bear is covered with thick, shaggy hair of black or black-brown color, with white spots around the eyes (hence its name). Preferring mountains, the animal also often appears on meadow slopes. Its biology is still poorly understood, but at the same time, scientists consider it the most herbivorous in the entire family. He is a lover of leaves and roots, fruits and branches of young shrubs. Sometimes, for his favorite delicacy, he climbs high palm trees, breaks young branches, and then eats them on the ground.

sloth bear

For our compatriots, the last animals on our list are exotic species of bears. You can see their photos and names in numerous domestic and foreign publications about animals.

The sloth bear is an inhabitant of tropical countries. He lives in the forests of Hindustan and Ceylon. In length it can be up to 1.8 m, weight is about 140 kg. This is a rather slender animal, on high legs, with huge claws. The muzzle is somewhat pointed. There is a light V-shaped mark on the chest. The bear is active at night. During the day, he sleeps soundly, while (which is typical only for this species), he snores surprisingly loudly.

Gubach feeds mainly on fruits and insects. With the help of huge claws, he easily breaks rotten, dilapidated tree trunks, and then he uses an amazing device that can resemble a pump. The long muzzle of the animal has very mobile lips, which are extended, forming a kind of tube.

The sloth has no upper pair of incisors, as a result of which there is a gap in the oral cavity. This feature allows the animal to extract termites. First, he blows out all the dust and dirt from the “house” of insects, and then draws the prey through his lips extended into a tube.

Mating sloths occurs in June, after seven months 2-3 babies appear. They spend 3 months in the shelter with their mother. At first, the father of the family takes care of his cubs, which is not typical of other bear species.

Panda

This animal, 1.2 m long and weighing up to 160 kg, lives in the mountain forests of the western provinces of China. Prefers loneliness, except during mating. It's usually spring.

Offspring appears in January. Mostly 2 cubs are born, weighing about two kilograms each. Unlike other bears, it does not hibernate. It feeds on various plants, bamboo roots, sometimes small rodents and fish.

Biruang

This is the name of the Malayan bear. This is the smallest representative of the bear family. The length of his body does not exceed 1.4 m, height is no more than 0.7 m, weight is about 65 kg. Despite its modest size, compared to its brethren, the animal is strong. Biruang has a short muzzle, wide paws with powerful curved claws. The body of the animal is covered with smooth, short, straight black hair. On the chest there is a mark of white or orange color, in the form of a horseshoe. The muzzle is orange or grey. Sometimes the legs are also light.

Biruang is a nocturnal animal, so during the day it sleeps and basks in the sun's rays, in the branches of trees. By the way, he perfectly climbs trees and feels completely comfortable on them.

It feeds on young shoots. The female brings two cubs. The animal does not hibernate.

The size of brown bears is subject to great individual and geographic variability. The body length of males of the southern subspecies is 140-150 cm, body weight is up to 190 kg; males from the Far East of Russia are much larger: body length 245-255, height at the withers - 120-135 cm, body weight up to 500-520 and even 640 kg. Female brown bears are much smaller.

The trunk of a brown bear is stocky, slightly elongated, hump-shaped raised in the shoulder area; the neck is short and thick. The head is large, with a wide forehead; muzzle profile from straight to slightly concave in the region of the orbits. The auricles are of moderate length (up to 155 mm), rounded, protruding from the winter fur. The fore and hind limbs are strong, almost equal in length, with the same bearing area. Claws are large, slightly curved (up to 8 cm long); on the forelimbs they are almost 2 times longer than on the hind limbs. The undersides of the hand and foot are bare, with tufts of long hair. The carpal pad is reduced (only its outer half has been preserved). The tail of brown bears is short (0.6-2.1 cm).

Hairline of brown bears

The hairline is coarse, often shaggy. In winter, it is dense, with thick underfur (6-8 cm) and long (up to 10-15 cm) guard hairs; summer fur is shorter and sparse. Hair length and fur color are highly variable. The coloration is most often brown, geographically and individually varies from almost black to brown, golden or off-white; in summer the fur often burns out. On the chest, especially at a young age, there is sometimes a small light spot. The bases of the hair are dark. Brown bears from the southern parts of the range are lighter in color, their fur is rarer and coarser than that of northern and eastern bears. The nails are dark, in some subspecies they are light.

Distribution and habitat of brown bears

The brown bear has a Holarctic range. Inhabits the forest, forest-steppe, partly tundra and steppe zones of Eurasia (south to Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Himalayas, Tibet, the peninsula of Korea and the island of Hokkaido) and the North. America (to Mexico). Until the first quarter of the 19th century met in the northwest of Africa (Atlas). It has been exterminated in most of Western Europe, Western Asia, China and the USA.

The northern border of the brown bear's range coincides with the border of the forest zone and the forest tundra. In spring and summer, bears go far into the tundra. On the Kola Peninsula, people regularly visit the mountain tundra, attracted by the abundance of berries. To the east of Kolyma and in Chukotka in the tundra it keeps constantly.

In the European part of the former USSR in the historical past (XVI-XVII centuries), the brown bear inhabited the entire region of mixed and broad-leaved forests and forest-steppe and through urem forests penetrated into the steppe zone to the mouths of the Dniester, Yuzh. Bug and Dnieper. Back in the 18th century met in the steppes of Podolia and Orenburg, lived in floodplain thickets along the Samara and Bolshaya Kinel rivers. Later, the distribution area gradually receded to the north, the bear disappeared in most densely populated regions of Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic republics and European Russia. The modern southern border of the range runs along the west of the Leningrad and Pskov (Remdovsky reserve) regions and the east of Belarus (Lepelsky and Borisovsky regions, Berezinsky reserve), reaching the Bryansk and, possibly, Oryol regions of Russia in the south. Further, it goes around the Moscow region from the north, descends south to Mordovia, Tambov and Ulyanovsk regions, then passes north of the mouth of the Kama and reaches the Perm Territory. Along the Ural Range, the bear is distributed up to about 53 ° N. sh.

To the south of the main range, there are separate habitats of brown bears in mountainous areas: the Carpathians, the Greater and Lesser Caucasus, Talysh, Kopetdag (does not live permanently), Pamir-Alay, Tien Shan and Dzungarian Alatau. Possibly still preserved in Tarbagatai and Saur. There was no brown bear in Crimea in the historical past. In the Far East, it occurs on the Shantar, Sakhalin, and some Kuril Islands (Paramushir, Iturup, Kunashir); in the past lived on the islands of Shumshu and Karaginsky.

In Asia, the brown bear inhabits the mountainous regions of Turkey, Syria, and possibly Iraq; until the beginning of the 20th century. found in Lebanon and Palestine. It is found in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Himalayas (east to Bhutan), Mongolia, China (including Tibet), the Korea Peninsula and Japan (Hokkaido). It is absent in arid deserts, but an isolated habitat is located in the Trans-Altai Gobi.

Origin and evolution of brown bears

Most researchers agree that the brown bear originated in Eurasia from U. etruscus. In the Middle Pleistocene, it penetrated into Africa, and in the Pleistocene, it settled in North America. Molecular biology data indicate that cave and brown bears diverged no later than 1.2 Ma.

The early brown bear includes U. dolinensis from the Trincera Dolina locality, Atapuerca in Spain, which has been dated to early cf. Pleistocene (0.78-0.9 million). The authors of the description note that U. dolinensis has a primitive dental morphology close to the putative ancestor of U. deningeri and the brown bear. The similarity with the brown bear is significant: the lower edge of the mandibular bone is straight, the articular process lies at the level of the chewing surface of the cheek teeth, there are alveoli of the anterior premolars, the cheek teeth are small. Among the features distinguishing U. dolinensis from the brown bear, the following were noted: the presence of a tiny third tooth on the m1 metaconid and an additional anterior tooth on the m2 metaconid. The dentary is higher than in the similarly sized brown bear (U. arctos), the anterior edge of the coronoid process rises steeper, as in cave bears. In primitive European cave bears such as U. rodei from UntermaBfeld, U. savini from Bacton Cromer Forest Bed, U. deningeri suevicus from Jagsthausen, and U. d. deningeri from Mosbach, the teeth are noticeably larger on average. The lower predatory tooth m1 in U. dolinensis is relatively very narrow; according to the average values ​​of the ratio of the width of this tooth to its length (40%, n = 4), the sample from Atapuerca is inferior to those from Untermassfeld (44%, n = 6), Backton (50.5%, n = 11), Jagsthausen (47%, n = 28) and Mosbach (48%, n = 20). In the Pleistocene and modern brown bear (U. arctos) and in U. etruscus, the lower carnassial tooth is relatively even wider (more than 49% on average). The authors of the description note that the new species is similar to the brown bear (U. arctos) in terms of the ratio of the length and height of the distal phalanges. Several metatarsal bones from Trincher Valley also resemble brown bear bones in proportion. Thus, U. dolinensis is unique, but by most features it belongs to the brown bear (U. arctos).

The stratigraphic and geographical variability of the brown bear (U. arctos) in different chronological sections is known only in the most general terms, and the system of its Pleistocene subspecies has not been developed. The preliminary scheme established for Europe includes 4 subspecies: large bears of subspecies U. a. lived in the north. kamiensis Verestchagin (cf. Pleistocene) and U. a. priscus Goldfuss (n. Pleistocene), small bears of subspecies U. a. prearctos Boule (cf. Pleistocene) and U. a. bourguignati Lartet (n. Pleistocene).

Brown bears of the northern regions of Europe during the glacial epochs inhabited taiga and periglacial landscapes and were probably migrants from Siberia. The southern populations were associated with broad-leaved forests, which were preserved in the mountain refugia of the Iberian, Apennine and Balkan Peninsulas. During the interglacial period, bears from the southern refugia spread northward, as was established for the brown bear (U. arctos) in the Holocene.

Lifestyle of brown bears

Inhabits a variety of coniferous, small- and broad-leaved forests on the plains and in the mountains. Prefers glades and banks of forest rivers and streams, rich in tall grass, which serve as places for feeding. Periodically or constantly found in the tundra and steppes. In the mountains, it makes seasonal migrations, often rising to the upper border of the forest and above it. On the plateaus of Mongolia and Tibet, it lives in treeless semi-desert areas. On the Kola Peninsula, the Far East of Russia and Alaska, it often comes to the sea coasts. In the north of European Russia, in search of berry places in June-July along forested river valleys, the brown bear penetrates far into the tundra and migrates to the south in the second half of August.

The brown bear lives alone, settled. Only females stick together with their offspring, protecting and caring for them; sometimes there is adoption of a cub or mixing of litters. There is a hierarchy in relations between different individuals: adult males have the highest social rank, then females with cubs follow, and, finally, immature animals. In places with abundant food, subordinate individuals try to avoid contact with dominant ones. When encountering bears, dominant animals approach with outstretched necks, flattened ears and bared fangs. At the same time, subordinate individuals turn sideways, lower them low and turn their heads to the side; they often sit up, lie down, or retreat. Sometimes between animals of similar social status there are fights that can end in the death of the weak. In fights, the front limbs are often used, with which they push the opponent in the chest or shoulder area, sometimes the blow is directed to the head or neck. The brown bear is cannibalistic.

The brown bear keeps in certain areas, but is not a strictly territorial animal and does not defend its territory. Marks it, leaving on the trunks of trees, mostly coniferous, traces of claws and teeth, the remnants of wool, or make odorous marks on the trail. With an abundance of food (large carrion, waste dumps, salmon channels, berry fields), bears concentrate in small areas. The area of ​​individual plots is extremely variable (from 300 to 800, sometimes up to 2500 ha), its size depends on the sex, age, social status of the animal, the method of obtaining food, and the distribution and availability of shelters. Females keep to a smaller territory than males, which reduces the chance of encountering aggressive males and increases the safety of the female and her cubs. Large males need a lot of food and travel long distances in search of it. The home ranges of mature males often overlap those of several females in estrus, increasing the likelihood of mating. Seasonal fodder movements often take on the character of real migrations. In the Caucasus, in August-October, animals migrate to rich feeding areas using certain routes, along which up to 10-25 individuals pass per night; in November they migrate to places of winter dens.

Can be active at any time of the day. Activity changes in accordance with environmental conditions: weather, abundance of food, human presence, etc. In the spring, when there is little food, it feeds day and night, in the summer mainly at night. In inhabited places, it keeps secretly, leads a nocturnal lifestyle. Silent, except when injured, frightened, or attacked. Cries of displeasure are emitted by hungry or offended cubs and adults. Disturbed animals can snort to intimidate, aggressive actions are often accompanied by growls and grunts. Of the sense organs, the sense of smell is most highly developed, a person can smell it in a headwind for 300-400 m.

Usually brown bears move slowly, in steps, but they can run fast for short distances, swim well. In adulthood, the brown bear does not climb high trees, but the cubs, in case of danger, escape to the trees. The burrow does not dig, although it digs earthen or snow lairs, breaks rodent burrows and their underground storerooms, extracts bulbs and rhizomes of plants from the ground. In search of insects and their larvae, he peels bark from fallen trees, turns over stones.

Brown bear food

The diet of brown bears is varied, with a predominance of plant foods. Eats green parts of plants (especially succulent herbs), as well as roots, tubers, bulbs, flowers, berries, nuts, fruits, cones, mushrooms, moss. It enters agricultural lands, where it feeds on oats. The brown bear willingly eats meat, which, in terms of the amount eaten per day, can significantly exceed food of plant origin. Eats various insects, especially ants, as well as small rodents, birds and their eggs, honey, carrion. It hunts ungulates up to and including elk, especially animals weakened by harsh winters, diseases or wounds, and their cubs, which it tracks by smell. Moose pursues in the spring along the crust, it lies in wait for reindeer when the herd crosses rivers or on the banks of a river, stream or lake. Moose females are caught during and after calving, when they are less mobile and try to protect their cubs. Attacks livestock, most often calves or animals grazing in bear feeding areas; kills them by biting in the neck or head, ripping open the abdominal cavity.

Feed composition varies by season and geographical area. In the northern regions in spring, the brown bear hunts elk, less often reindeer, eats ants and their larvae, last year's lingonberries and cranberries, plant rhizomes, bark and green shoots of aspen, mountain ash. The summer diet is dominated by plant foods, mostly herbaceous, as well as insects and their larvae, bird eggs, and small animals. In autumn, he eats blueberries, lingonberries, cranberries, rowan fruits, visits oat crops; in the Urals and Siberia it feeds on pine nuts. In the Caucasus, it feeds on tall grasses, especially umbelliferous, as well as ants, beetles and their larvae; closer to autumn - raspberries, blackberries, oak and beech acorns, wild apples, plums; in times of famine, it can hunt chamois, wild boars, consume carrion. In the mountains, Wed. Asia eats the fruits of an apple tree, apricot, hawthorn, various herbs, extracts ground squirrels and marmots, digging out their holes. On Sakhalin and Kamchatka, it goes to the coast, where it picks up sea emissions (fish, shellfish), in the fall it catches salmon spawning in rivers. Fishing methods vary depending on the hydrographic features of the river and the abundance of fish. In Alaska, it catches salmon in shallow water or on river rifts and waterfalls, grabs fish jumping out of the water with its mouth. In Kamchatka, a bear-fisherman can dive with his head.

Wintering of the brown bear

For the winter, a brown bear lies in a den and sinks into sleep, accumulating fat reserves for this in the fall, amounting to 30% of the total mass. Adipose tissue protects from the cold and serves as a source of energy for the period of winter sleep and the first days following the spring awakening. Adult males and pregnant females lie in dens alone, but sometimes 2-3 animals winter in one cave. Before going to bed, he stops feeding, the digestive tract is freed from food debris, a kind of plug is formed in the rectum from plant residues and hair. During sleep, the heartbeat decreases from 40-50 beats per minute in summer to 8-10 during hibernation; body temperature, which fluctuates in the active state from 36.5 to 38.5 °C, in a sleeping animal decreases by 4-5 °C. Females, due to feeding their cubs during winter sleep, lose more of their autumn weight (40%) than males (22%). The timing of occurrence depends on the abundance of food, weather conditions. Brown bears that have accumulated a sufficient supply of fat lie down in the den earlier, while individuals with a small supply continue to feed until the onset of winter cold. Females with cubs usually leave for the winter earlier than adult males and leave the den later. The duration of winter sleep ranges from 75-120 (Caucasus) to 180-185 days (Kola Peninsula). He sleeps lightly, in case of danger he leaves the den. Interruption of winter sleep is risky for adults and often fatal for young. The timing of the exit from the den depends on the fatness of the animal and weather conditions. In the Caucasus, it wakes up in March, in the Leningrad region. - at the end of March-April, on the Kola Peninsula - at the end of April-May. After leaving the den, it does not feed for 10-14 days. In the years of abundant food harvest in the South Transcaucasia, many bears do not hibernate. In Siberia, on the contrary, the appearance of "rods" is associated with a crop failure of berries and cedar seeds; hungry bears attack moose and red deer, cases of cannibalism are observed. During the day they travel from 2 to 13, sometimes up to 30 km.

Winter lairs are usually located in a dry place under a windbreak, on islands in the middle of a swamp, along the shores of taiga lakes, in rock crevices, placers of large stones, pits, under eversion of roots or in hollows of large trees. Less often, bears occupy natural caves of a horizontal type. Known cases of occurrence in a haystack. In the tundra, dens are dug along river slopes, using natural depressions. Sometimes bears lie open for the winter, on a large anthill or in earthen pits, on mountain slopes. In the north, where winter thaws are rare, lairs are usually located in the mountains on the southern slopes; in the southern regions, on the contrary, in the northern ones, which protects them from flooding during the thaw. In the Caucasus, lairs are arranged in all altitudinal zones, in the low mountains they are often half-closed (depression in the ground, covered with tree roots or branches of shrubs), in the middle mountains they are closed (located in tree hollows, rock crevices, karst cavities). The size and shape of the den varies. This can be a simple tray with bedding made of moss and spruce branches, or a nest with an inlet with a diameter of 60-90 cm, which leads directly into the inner chamber or into the entrance tunnel. The nesting chamber has an earthen floor or is lined with moss, tree branches, and dry grass. Some winter dens are used for several years.

In the summer, arranges temporary haulouts near the feeding areas. They are located in dry, secluded places with a good view, usually among a high grass stand, along the banks of forest rivers, on an open ant heap, under a rock canopy, sometimes in caves.

Reproduction of brown bears

The rut occurs in May-July, sometimes later; lasts 10-30 days. Accompanied by the "bullying" of the bark on the trees, a loud roar, fights between males chasing one female. In the Caucasus, a female and a male stay together for 3 to 5 days, often they rise to the subalpine zone, where several males join them, forming a “nuptial cluster” of 4-6 individuals. Copulation lasts 10-60 minutes, on average - 23 minutes. Females may mate with 2 males during the day, or with several males during the entire breeding season, but only a few adult males mate successfully. The duration of pregnancy, according to observations in captivity, is 174-257, with an average of 221 days. Pregnancy with a long latent pause (about 5 months), only in the fall does the active development of the embryo begin, which lasts 6-8 weeks.

Cubs 1-5, usually 2-3. They are born from late December to March, most often in January. Newborns weigh about 500 g, covered with sparse hair. The openings of the external auditory canal open on the 14th day, the eyes - on the 30-32nd. Lactation lasts from 5 months to 1.5 years, sometimes up to 2.5 years; milk is very fatty (up to 17%), rich in proteins. During the first months of life, cubs often have a V-shaped light collar around their neck, which disappears in the second year of life. Before leaving the den, they grow rather slowly. At 3 months, they weigh 15 kg and have fully erupted milk teeth. At 6 months, they begin to be replaced by permanent teeth; the last permanent root appears at 10-12 months. When the female starts estrus, she drives away the cubs, but then takes them back. Together with underyearlings (“lonchaks”), last year’s cubs (“breeders”); in rare cases, cubs stay with their mother until they are 4 years old. Cubs of the same litter can keep in touch with each other, play and eat together sometimes up to 4.5 years.

Sexual maturity reaches 3-4 years, full development - 10 years. Females begin to participate in reproduction at the age of 3-6 years, sometimes later; males - at 4.5 years. The female brings offspring in a year or in 2-3 years, in case of death of the cubs, she can mate in the same year. Life expectancy up to 25 years (in captivity up to 47 years).

Sheds once a year, from April-June until the end of summer.

In the Russian Far East, brown bears sometimes fall prey to tigers. The brown bear is dangerous for humans, especially the "rods" in eastern Siberia.

Subclass - animals

Infraclass - placental

Squad - predatory

Suborder - dog-like

Family - bears

Genus - bears

View - brown bear

Literature:

1. Fauna of the USSR. Baryshnikov G.F. "Bear" 2007.

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 range 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 - 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 necessarily 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.

• Big 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 absolutely hairless pads: this allows the 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 are complemented by a large 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 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!

Recent studies of the mitochondrial DNA of different species of bears have shown that all living polar bears originate from a single population of brown bears that existed about 120,000 years ago in Alaska. This dating is too young to be accepted without objection. The new study shows the limitations of the method used and provides new estimates of the polar bear's age at about 600,000 years.

A year ago, "Elements" published a note on the evolution of polar bears (In the Pleistocene, polar bears interbred with brown ones, "Elements", 07/22/2011). This was the announcement of a study in which scientists compared the mitochondrial DNA of brown and polar bears from different regions, including from fossil (ancient) remains. The main conclusions of this work were reduced to the statement about the repeated crossing of polar and brown bears in past eras, as well as about the relatively young age of the lines of modern polar bears. According to this work, polar bears descended from some Alaskan populations of brown bears during one of the cold snaps about 100-120 thousand years ago, then during interglacial warmings, the populations of polar and brown bears interbred. Modern polar bear maternal lines are all entirely descended from polar bear hybrids with the Irish (British) brown bear population. These conclusions are relatively reliable when it comes to crossbreeding between brown and polar bears during interglacials, but less so when it comes to timing and place of origin of polar bears. Based only on mtDNA, one can confidently speak of modern, surviving maternal lines; but about other lines that existed in previous eras and did not survive to the present, nothing can be asserted. So the conclusions about the time of origin of polar bears are rather shaky, and the dates obtained can be greatly underestimated.

During the past year, data on the composition of some parts of the nuclear genome of polar and brown bears were processed. They include sequences of 14 independent loci (introns) in 45 polar bears, brown bears and grizzlies. Having them, it remained to conduct a study similar to mtDNA phylogenetic reconstructions and compare the findings with previous results. This work was done by an international group of scientists, however, I note that not a single participant or laboratory of the previous study took part in the new study. Therefore, no "curtseys" towards colleagues were expected, and the result was an exceptionally exemplary scientific discussion.

However, the result of the new study was quite expected. The phylogenetic tree of nuclear DNA (aligned across all fourteen loci) showed dates for the separation of the polar bear branch from 338,000 to 934,000 years ago, with an average of about 600,000 years ago. It is clear that this is much earlier than the mtDNA estimates and is in better agreement with other data on single nuclear genes. In addition, high specialization, morphological and ecological, requires a relatively long directed evolution, which could well fit into a 600,000-year interval, but not a 100,000-year one. At the same time, according to new materials on mtDNA, the recent hybridization of two species and the survival of a single hybrid line were confirmed. Indeed, female brown bears could interbreed with male polar bears, and their hybrid descendants turned out to be fertile and, subsequently crossing with polar bears, founded all modern polar bear populations.

Polar bears descended from a common ancestor and turned out to be a sister group to all brown bears, and not to any one of their branches. The mtDNA phylogenetic tree suggested that the polar bear sister group was only one of the brown bear populations. If we take into account the early formation of the polar species, then the scenario with a common ancestor of polar and brown bears looks preferable.

The polymorphism of the nuclear genes of polar bears turned out to be low compared to their brown counterparts. Of the 114 haplotypes (in the fourteen loci studied) of polar and brown bears, 35 occur in whites, 79 in browns, and only 6 are common; polar bears have only 22 nucleotide substitutions (SNPs), while brown bears have 95. These differences lead to two conclusions. First, the species diverged relatively long ago, so there is little left of the common ancestral polymorphism. This conclusion confirms the ancient branch of the polar bear branch. Secondly, the population size (we are talking about the effective population size) of polar bears was much smaller than that of brown ones. This means that polar bears have gone through several episodes of low populations, the so-called bottlenecks. Most likely, these episodes are associated with periods of warming, when moments of crossing of brown and white representatives were recorded. At present, there really is only one - hybrid - maternal line of all that existed before. And although it should be noted that in the nuclear genome of polar bears, among 14 loci, it was not possible to trace a clear signal of hybridization, but it is quite possible that it was the genes of brown bears that helped polar bears somehow survive periods of warming. But in the genome of brown bears, the following signals were found: stable haplogroups of polar bears were found in populations of Alaskan browns. Scientists suggest that the inclusion of specific polar bear genes helped their brown relatives survive the harsh conditions of the ice ages.

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Types of bears

Bears are large and strong animals, with a dense body, a large head and wide powerful paws. In the bear family, 8 species are very similar to each other. Most of them are omnivorous, many fit into hibernation, bears living in forests can climb trees. Bears are common in the Northern Hemisphere, from the North Pole to the jungles of Southeast Asia and in the forest zone of North America. One species is found in South America.

Brown bears were once the masters of all northern forests. But man cut down the forests. Toptygins have nowhere to hide on miserable forest pieces, and now there are a lot of bears only in the endless taiga and in nature reserves. The bears keep alone, each in his own area, where he does not let his neighbors. The bear is very strong: hungry, he will overcome an adult elk, knock down a mighty boar. But bears do not like to hunt, and when there are a lot of berries, nuts and juicy greens in the forest, they almost do not eat meat.

In Alaska (in North America) and Kamchatka at the end of summer, when salmon go to the rivers to spawn, bears go fishing. Brown bears living in different places differ in size: taiga bears are larger than their counterparts from the southern forests. The largest brown bears - grizzlies - live in the north of North America. Bears are "brunettes" and "blonds": some have brown hair, others have light beige, and others are almost black.

For the winter, the bear goes to sleep in a den under a deep eversion, in a large pile of deadwood or in a cave. In the north, bears sleep from October to April; in warmer regions, their winter sleep is shorter. All life processes in a sleeping bear slow down, the temperature drops. Bear on the accumulated fat will last until the arrival of heat. But the sleep of a bear is not as strong as that of small animals. Worried, he will wake up, come out of the lair and roam the forest in an angry manner. The connecting rod bear is the scariest animal in the forest. Hunger pushes him to attack even people. In winter, cubs are born in a bear's den. All winter they suck the milk of a sleeping mother, and in the spring they come out into the light.

Himalayan bear

South of the brown bear, in the mountain forests of the Caucasus, Iran, Afghanistan, Primorye, Japan and China, and in the Himalayan mountains, the Himalayan bear lives. For the color of its coat, it is also called a black bear. And for a white spot on the chest in the shape of a crescent - a moon or white-breasted bear.

Black bears do not hunt, but eat berries, fruits, nuts, acorns, grains, rhizomes and green parts of plants, feast on insects, and eat carrion. Black bears are smaller than brown bears, which allows them to climb trees better. Having reached the fork of the branches, the bear breaks off branches with berries or nuts, eats them up and folds them under him, arranging a comfortable bed. The tree on which the clumsy dined remains almost without a crown. Bears hibernate in the hollows of old trees.

baribal

Baribal bear lives in North America - black with a light end of the muzzle. There are also chocolate and milky white baribals, different coat colors can even be found in siblings. Baribals, like black bears, love plant foods, climb trees and sleep in hollows in winter. Baribal is small and can be prey to a huge grizzly.

About 200 thousand years ago, some brown bears moved from the taiga to the north in search of a new habitat. They began to live in the cold treeless tundra and on the eternal ice of the Arctic. Harsh conditions have changed their appearance. Bears with light fur survived among the snows. So, brightening from generation to generation, the bears turned white. In a large body it is easier to keep warm, and they have become larger than brown brothers. Their fur became thicker and warmer, and their paws, so as not to fall into the snow, became wider. Life by the ocean has made bears become excellent swimmers. In the ice, they forgot about plant foods and turned into predators, eating seal meat, fish, sea birds, and carrion. Thus, a new species was formed - the polar bear, the largest predatory animal in the world.

Polar bears are great wanderers, they roam all their lives on drifting ice, rarely going out on land. Near the ocean, they feel more confident - there is more of the usual food: seals and fish. In a mysterious way, the bears make their way in the darkness of the polar night, with flashes of the northern lights, through snowstorms. Occasionally, these lonely vagabonds get together, chat and play with each other, and then each go his own way. Polar bears do not hibernate, but when there is a shortage of food, they can sleep for a long time in a snow den. In places where snowdrifts are deep, she-bears gather. They make dens in the snow, where, sheltered from the cold and wind, bear cubs give birth. Tiny white lumps will bask under their mother's belly and suck her milk until they are strong enough to accompany their mother on long journeys. Polar bears are listed in the international Red Book.

spectacled bear

The only bear found in the Southern Hemisphere, in the mountains of South America, is the spectacled bear. The rough, shaggy black coat of this bear is decorated with light spots on the chest and around the eyes, where a semblance of white glasses is formed - hence the name of the species.

The spectacled bear is the most mysterious in the bear family. A secretive nocturnal animal, it has been studied very little. It is known that he likes to eat palm leaves, which he breaks off when climbing a tree, but eats leaves on the ground. Its "green table" is diversified by fruits and roots, as well as young deer and guanaco llamas.