We all know these mighty 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, 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 and weigh 750 and even 1000 kg!
The fur of animals has a well-developed undercoat, it is rather rough to the touch. The hairline is high. Only the Malayan bear cannot boast of such a fur coat - its cover is low and sparse.
The color is varied - from black to white, can be contrasting. The color does not change with the seasons.
Lifestyle
Different types of bears live in a variety of conditions. They are beautifully behavedfeel 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 diurnal 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.
Diversity 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 so. Today, our planet is inhabited by species of bears, the list of which can be presented as follows:
- brown bears;
- black;
- white;
- Himalayan;
- spectacle;
- mouth bass;
- Biruangi;
- pandas.
There are subspecies and varieties of these animals, but we will talk about this in another article.
Brown bears
These are large and awkward-looking animals. They belong to the order of predators, the bear family. Body length - from 200 to 280 cm.
This is a pretty common look. Brownthe bear 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 wander over 300 kilometers in search of more abundant food 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 bottom of his winter dwelling is lined 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 northernareas 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 from 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.
Food
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 quietly sneaks up to his prey and grabs it inquick throw. At the same time, its speed reaches 50 km / h.
Polar bears
IUCN - For the first time in several years, the International Union for Conservation of Nature 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, are suffering from the industrial development of the Arctic, 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.
It is three meters long and weighs about a ton. The largest animals are found off the coast of the Bering Sea, the smallest - in Svalbard.
Polar bears are distinguished from other species by long hair and a flat head. The color can be completely white or with a yellowish tint. 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 & Nutrition
According to scientists, the polar bear is the most predatory of the whole family. After all, he practically does not consume plant foods. Various types of bears (photos and names of which are posted in our article) are almost never the first to attack a person. Unlike its counterparts, the polar bear often preys on humans.
The main "menu" of these predators are seals, mostly 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 pose a danger, which can sometimes attack in the water.
Reproduction
In October, females begin to dig a lair 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 not fertile, 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 smoothblack wool. 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.
Female pregnancy lasts up to 210 days, cubs are born in January-February, weighing 400 grams, stay with their mother until April.
Himalayan bear
This beast is smaller than the brown one. In addition, these types of bears differ in appearance. The Himalayan bear has a more slender physique, a thin muzzle, and large ears. The thick and luxuriant coat is usually black in color with a white, sometimes yellowish spot on the chest (shaped like the letter V).
Large adults can reach a length of 170 cm and weigh 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, the Himalayan bear 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.
Point Bear
We continue to study the types of bears, getting acquainted with the indigenous inhabitants of the SouthAmerica. He settles in the mountains - from Colombia to Northern Chile. This is a spectacled bear - an animal of not very large size. His 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.
Little 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.
The 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,which may resemble a pump. The long muzzle of the animal has very mobile lips that stretch out, 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 all the dust and dirt out of 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 appear in January. Mostly 2 cubs are born, weighing about two kilograms each. Unlike other bears, the giant panda does not hibernate. 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 hair.black color. 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 it sleeps during the day and basks in the sun's rays, in the branches of trees. By the way, he is great at climbing trees and feels completely comfortable on them.
Feeds on young shoots. The female brings two cubs. The animal does not hibernate.
