There is a legend in America that bears walk on the roads in Russia. We can agree with this opinion, since in some regions of Russia you can still find a bear wandering into the streets of the city. However, this happens less and less often, there are fewer and fewer bears, and they are also afraid of people and avoid their habitats.
Currently this symbol of Russia is under protection, as its population has decreased significantly and is in danger of extinction.
Where do brown bears live?
Brown bears They are the most common in the vast expanses of Russia; it is not without reason that they are its symbol. However, the territory of Russia is not the only habitat of these beautiful powerful animals. Brown bears are also common in the vast expanses of Alaska and Canada, in Europe (mountainous regions), and are found in Japan and Asian countries.
Most major representatives This species lives in Kamchatka and Alaska. The weight of an adult male in those areas often reaches more than 700 kilograms, and sometimes exceeds 1000 kilograms.
The smallest representatives of the bear family live in the European part of the Earth, weighing up to 500 kilograms; in Russia there are average specimens weighing about 600 kilograms.
The height of an adult bear, if it stands on its hind legs, sometimes reaches 3 meters, the height at the withers is on average from a meter to one and a half. Males are usually twice the size and weight of females.
The color of a brown bear depends on its habitat and has many shades from golden to silver or black.
Bears prefer to settle in forest thickets, going out to more open areas in search of food.
Dietary features of the brown bear
The bear is not a whimsical animal; to put it simply, it is an omnivore. Most often, the bear eats plant foods: herbs, roots, berries, nuts, and cereals. Bears do not hesitate to feast on insects, larvae or ants; small rodents can also become prey for the owners of the taiga.
In the spring, during the spawning period, you can often see fishing bears. It is extremely rare for bears to hunt larger animals. various representatives artiodactyls, wolves, and livestock. This happens in hungry years, when it is difficult to find other food.
Features of brown bear reproduction
Bears are essentially solitary animals; bears do not live together. After the mating season, the females take care of the cubs, while the males live their own lives. The mating season for bears lasts from May to June, accompanied by fierce battles between rivals in the fight for the female. Often one of the males dies, and the winner eats him.
The female usually mates with several males; pregnancy develops after the female goes into hibernation; gestation lasts six to eight months. Bear cubs are born in a den, in the amount of two or three cubs.
At first, the cubs do not see or hear anything, after about 14 days hearing appears and after a month the cubs begin to see. Three months after birth, the babies begin to leave the den. The mother bear feeds her cubs with milk until they reach the age of 1.5-2 years. Bear cubs can live next to their mother for up to four years.
A female bear gives birth approximately once every two years, sometimes once every four years.
Lifespan of a brown bear
Average duration The lifespan of a brown bear in the wild reaches 25-35 years; in captivity, it has happened that bears lived for 50 years.
In general, life expectancy depends on the conditions and habitat of the animal.
Den selection and hibernation
The bear is careful when choosing a place for a den. The place should be quiet, calm, safe. The den is dry, warm, cozy. The bear carefully lines the floor of the den with moss. From the outside it camouflages the home with dry branches. Having found a good den, the bear does not change it for many years.
In preparation for hibernation, the bear carefully confuses its tracks, even to the point of walking backwards. Hibernation lasts from October to April. It is very easy to wake up a hibernating bear, as they continue to remain sensitive, even during sleep. During hibernation, the animal's body temperature decreases, which allows it to preserve energy reserves for a long time. After hibernation, the animal’s weight decreases by 70-80 kilograms.
If the year was hungry, and the bear did not have enough supplies for the entire hibernation period, he may wake up ahead of time and go in search of food. Such bears are called connecting rods. Also, a bear, disturbed in its bedroom, may wake up to look for a new, safer den.
Video about a brown bear
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The brown bear is the most widespread and most well-known representative bear family. His scientific name Ursus arctos made up of Latin and Greek words meaning "bear".
The brown bear's habitat once extended as far south as North Africa and Central Mexico. In the Middle Ages, the beast inhabited almost all of Europe, including the Mediterranean and the British Isles. Today, due to overfishing, habitat destruction and road construction, the population has declined significantly.
Today, brown bears are common in Russia, northwestern North America, Scandinavia, and Japan. They are also found in isolated areas of Southern and of Eastern Europe, China, Mongolia, the Himalayas, as well as in mountainous areas some Middle Eastern countries. There is even a small population in the mountains of the Mongolian Gobi Desert. However favorite places The habitats of brown bears are dense forests, remote from populated areas, where windbreaks and shrubs are abundant. In America they inhabit wooded mountains.
Previously, the species was so variable and widespread that it was divided into dozens of subspecies (some of them became extinct); some of them were considered species. However, now they are all combined into the only kind, which includes several subspecies. The most famous of them include:
Common (European)
This subspecies is found in Europe, the Caucasus and Russia throughout the forest zone, except for the south of the European part of the country. It has medium sizes.
This large subspecies The brown bear is widespread in Alaska and western Canada.
Kodiak
One of the most large predators in the world. Inhabits from Kodiak and Shuyak islands to Alaska.
Syrian
One of the smallest species of brown bears. It is found in the mountains of the Middle East, as well as in Turkey, Syria and Iran.
Tien Shan
This relatively small subspecies is one of the smallest. Found in the Tien Shan, Himalaya and Pamir mountains.
Description of a brown bear
The size of the brown bear is very individual and depends primarily on its geographical habitat. The body length of the animal is from 1.5 to 2.8 meters, the height at the withers is 0.9-1.5 m, the weight of males is 135-545 kg. Sometimes there are males whose body length reaches 3 meters and weight reaches 700 kg. Particularly large individuals live on Kodiak Island (USA), on the coast of Alaska, and in Russia - in Kamchatka. In the European part of Russia, brown bears weighing 250-300 kg are most often encountered.
Females are much smaller: their average weight is 90-250 kg. The weight of these animals also depends on the time of year - in autumn they are the most well-fed, because for successful hibernation they need to thoroughly stock up on subcutaneous fat.
The body of the drill bear is very powerful, the withers are high and muscular; the head is massive with a wide forehead, the eyes are small, the ears are round, the tail 5-20 cm long is almost invisible under a layer of fur.
The animal's fur is thick, the most long hair They grow on the withers and on the back of the body; they are shorter on the head and paws. Although our hero is called brown, he is not always painted exactly this color. In nature, you can meet black, light gray, straw yellow and even silver (grizzly bears in North America) individuals. Cubs of the same litter can have different colors.
The bear's build is heavy, awkward, and in order to support its large mass, its paws are plantigrade (when walking, the entire sole is pressed to the ground). This same feature allows him to freely rise and stand on his hind legs. On each paw it has 5 fingers, armed with curved non-retractable claws, the length of which can reach 10 cm.
Nature did not reward clubfoot with acute hearing and vision, but compensated for this with an excellent sense of smell. When the animal stands on its hind legs, it uses its sense of smell to try to obtain more information about its surroundings.
How do brown bears live in nature?
Bears prefer to lead single image life. In search of food, they wander across their vast areas: on the mainland, these areas can be 200-2000 sq. km for males and 100-1000 sq. km for females. Individual territory is vigilantly guarded from the invasion of strangers, and if some clubfoot encroaches on someone else's property, a clash cannot be avoided. Adult males can cause serious injuries to each other during territorial fights.
Diet
The brown bear, unlike its fellow polar bear, cannot be called a predator in the full sense of the word. On the contrary, about 75% of its diet is plant food. These are nuts, berries, tubers and stems herbaceous plants, seeds, acorns, etc.
Thanks to its muscular withers and huge claws, Brown bear better suited for digging up small mammals, insects and underground parts of plants. Strong jaw muscles also allow the animal to more easily handle fibrous foods and survive on a plant-based diet.
In general, the bear’s menu depends on the season and the availability of different types of food. Its diet also includes rodents, frogs, worms, and lizards. He willingly eats carrion.
In some areas, brown bears have real feasts when they find large concentrations of insects or come ashore during salmon's spawning run.
In some places they hunt ungulates. With one blow of a powerful paw, the animal can break the spine of a deer. Sometimes they hunt roe deer, wild boar, fallow deer, mountain goats. Often clubfoot significantly limit the number of these animals by hunting young ones.
When obtaining food, the animal relies mainly on its strength rather than speed. However, despite its clumsy appearance, the clubfoot can run quite briskly if necessary - at speeds of up to 50 km/h. It is an excellent swimmer, and young individuals are good at climbing trees.
Hibernation
Since bears descended from canids and evolved towards herbivory, they were faced with a problem - a lack of food in winter time. One of nature’s solutions was their ability to hibernate during the winter.
Typically, hibernating animals save a lot of energy due to a significant, sometimes almost zero, decrease in body temperature. The body temperature of bears that have climbed into a den decreases slightly (from 38 to 34° C), but their heart rate and breathing rate noticeably decreases.
Brown bears are among those mammals that, while asleep, can live up to 6 months without eating, drinking or excreting. Sleeping animals draw energy mainly from fat reserves: the more plump a bear is when it hibernates, the less body weight it loses during sleep. This process is so effective that bears rarely die during winter sleep: Death from starvation occurs more often in the spring when metabolic rates increase.
In the fall, bears begin setting up a den. Most often, for their winter rookery, they choose places on the outskirts of impassable swamps or along the banks forest rivers and lakes. A prerequisite is distance from populated areas. Rookeries are located under the roots of massive trees, in ravines, caves, crevices, pits, and windbreaks. At the bottom of the den the bear lays a bedding of spruce branches, moss, bark, dry grass, etc.
Bears go into hibernation in October–December and emerge from it in March–May. These terms depend on many factors, but mainly on the geographical habitat. In different areas, sleep can last from 70 to 195 days.
Reproduction
The mating season for brown bears is May-July. The male and female spend time together for several weeks, but as soon as mating occurs, the animals scatter.
Pregnancy in these animals has its own characteristics: the fertilized egg in the female’s body develops to the state of a blastocyst, then stops growing, and around November it is implanted into the uterus. During the hibernation period, pregnancy proceeds quite quickly, the fetus develops actively and after 6-8 weeks 1 to 4 cubs are born. Thus, the total gestational age is 6.5-8.5 months.
High body temperature is necessary for bears to develop their cubs, which are born in the middle of winter. The birth of cubs in the dead of winter and their subsequent feeding by a hibernating mother is an amazing phenomenon.
Cubs are born with with open eyes and very fine wool. Proportional to the mother's mass, they are very small (less than 1%), which is much less than in other placental mammals. However, feeding cubs with milk in the den takes a lot of energy from the mother, as a result of which the female loses up to 40% of her body weight during hibernation.
The reproduction rate of bears is quite low and depends on the region and the abundance of food. As a rule, a female bear gives birth to her first litter at the age of 5 to 10 years, and the interval between the births of cubs is from 2 to 5 years. Females are able to reproduce until about 20 years of age.
In the wild, brown bears live on average about 25 years. There is a known case where an animal in captivity lived to be 43 years old.
Conservation in nature
Due to their wide distribution and habitat in remote areas, it is very difficult to determine the exact number of brown bears today. According to rough estimates, there are 200-250 thousand of these animals in the world. Seems like it's enough big number, but we must not forget that many populations are extremely small and are in danger of extinction. Tiny remnant populations are scattered throughout Spain, Italy, France, and Greece. Brown bears were brought to some areas of France, Austria, and Poland from other places. Restoring small populations is difficult due to the low reproduction rate of bears.
The conflict with humans, the only enemy of polar bears, is aggravated due to the fact that each bear uses very large territory. In Russia, Japan and some European countries Hunting for brown bears is permitted. In our country, for example, 4-5 thousand animals are killed annually. This level of legal shooting is considered acceptable, but there is still the problem of poaching.
Most populations are listed on CITES Appendix II, with the Chinese and Mongolian populations listed on CITES Appendix I. American populations found in Alaska are listed rare species IUCN.
Menacing brown bears are majestic guardians of forests. This beautiful animal is considered a symbol of Russia, although numerous habitats can be found in all corners of our planet. Since the brown bear is in danger of complete extinction, it is listed in the Red Book. This animal mainly lives in Russia, the USA and Canada. Not a large number of bears survived in Europe and Asia.
The lifestyle of this important “master of the taiga” is very interesting. How long does a brown bear live? What weight can it reach? Most Interesting Facts We will tell you about the life of the brown clubfoot in this article.
Brown bear: description of appearance
This animal is very strong. Powerful body covered with thick hair, and the withers are clearly visible on the back. It contains a large number of muscles that allow the bear to deliver crushing blows with its paws, fell trees or dig the ground.
His head is very large, with small ears and small, deep-set eyes. The bears' tail is short - about 2 cm, barely noticeable under the layer of fur. The paws are very strong, with large curved claws reaching a length of 10 cm. When walking, the bear evenly transfers the weight of the body on the entire sole, like a person, and therefore it belongs to the species of plantigrade animals.
The fur of the famous “master of the taiga” is very beautiful - thick, evenly colored. Brown bears have a tendency to shed - in spring and autumn they renew their fur coat. The first coat change occurs immediately after hibernation and is very intense. Its manifestations are especially noticeable during the rutting period. Autumn molt proceeds slowly and continues until hibernation.
How long does a brown bear live?
The lifespan of a clubfoot depends on its habitat. In conditions wildlife A brown bear can reach an age of 20 to 35 years. If the animal is kept in a zoo, this figure almost doubles. In captivity, a bear can live about 50 years. The onset of puberty occurs between the ages of 6 and 11 years.
Dimensions and weight of the animal
The standard body length of a clubfoot predator ranges from one to two meters. The most large bears live in Alaska, Kamchatka and the Far East. These are grizzlies, true giants, whose height when standing on hind legs ah reaches three meters.
The maximum weight of a bear (brown) can be 600 kg. These are real heavyweight giants. Average weight an adult male weighs 140-400 kg, and a female weighs 90-210 kg. The largest male was discovered on Kodiak Island. His body weight was enormous - 1134 kg. However, animals living in middle lane Russia, weigh much less - about 100 kg.
By autumn, this animal accumulates a large fat reserve for the upcoming hibernation, and therefore the weight of the bear (brown) increases by 20%.
Habitats
Bears mainly live in dense forest areas, in swampy areas. They can often be seen in the tundra or alpine forests. In Russia, this animal occupies remote northern regions. Brown bears are very common in Siberia. The calm forests of the taiga allow the clubfoot to feel spacious and free, and here nothing interferes with their existence.
In the USA, bears live mainly on open areas- on the coasts, alpine meadows. In Europe they mainly live in dense mountain forests.
Brown bear populations can also be found in Asia. Their range occupies small areas of Palestine, Iran, northern China and the Japanese island of Hokkaido.
What do bears eat?
Omnivorousness and endurance are the main qualities that help the animal survive in difficult conditions. The brown bear's diet consists of 75% plant foods. The clubfoot can eat tubers, nuts, berries, grass stems, roots and acorns. If this is not enough, the bear can go to the crops of oats or corn, or feed in the cedar forests.
Large individuals have remarkable strength and hunt small young animals. With just one blow of a huge paw, a bear can break the spine of an elk or deer. He hunts roe deer, wild boar, fallow deer, and mountain goats. Without problems, brown bears can eat rodents, larvae, ants, frogs, worms and lizards.
Skilled fishermen and maskers
Bears often feed on carrion. The clubfoot skillfully covers the found remains of animals with brushwood and tries to stay nearby until it completely eats its “find.” If the bear has recently eaten, it may wait a few days. After some time, the meat of the killed animal will become softer, and he will enjoy it with pleasure.
The most amazing activity of bears is fishing. They go to the Far Eastern spawning rivers, where salmon accumulate en masse. Bears and their offspring especially often hunt here. The mother skillfully catches salmon and takes it to her cubs.
Up to 30 bears can be seen on the river at the same time, and they often engage in battle for prey.
Behavior
The bear has very developed sense of smell. He clearly feels the smell of decomposed meat, even being 3 km away from it. His hearing is also very well developed. Sometimes the bear stands on its hind legs to listen to a sound or sense the direction of the smell of food.
How does a bear behave in nature? The brown “master of the taiga” begins to walk around his property at dusk or early in the morning. In bad weather or during rainy periods, he can wander through the forest all day in search of food.
Speed and agility are the distinctive qualities of the beast
At first glance, this huge animal seems very clumsy and slow. But that's not true. The big brown bear is very agile and easy to move. In pursuit of a victim, it can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h. The bear is also excellent swimmer. He can easily cover a distance of 6-10 km on water and enjoys swimming on hot summer days.
Young bears quickly climb trees. With age, this ability dulls a little, but does not disappear. However, deep snow is for them ordeal, since the bear moves along it with great difficulty.
Breeding period
Having regained strength after a long sleep, brown bears are ready to mate. The rut begins in the spring, in May, and lasts about a month. Females signal their readiness to mate with a special secretion that has a strong odor. Using these marks, males find their chosen ones and protect them from rivals.
Sometimes fierce fights arise between two bears for the female, in which the fate, and sometimes the life, of one of them is decided. If one of the males dies, the winner may even eat him.
IN mating season bears are very dangerous. They make a wild roar and can attack a person.
Reproduction
Exactly after 6-8 months, cubs are born in the den. Usually the female brings 2-4 cubs, completely bald, with underdeveloped organs of hearing and vision. However, after a month, the cubs’ eyes open and the ability to catch sounds appears. Immediately after birth, the cubs weigh about 500 g and their length reaches 25 cm. By 3 months, all baby teeth have erupted in the cubs.
For the first 6 months of their lives, babies feed on mother's milk. Then berries, insects, and greens are added to their diet. Later mother brings them fish or his prey. For about 2 years, babies live with their mother, learn habits, the intricacies of hunting, and hibernate with her. The independent life of a young bear begins at the age of 3-4 years. The father bear never takes part in raising his offspring.
Lifestyle
The brown bear is a fickle animal. It feeds in one place, sleeps in another, and can move several kilometers away from its usual habitat to mate. A young bear wanders around the area until it starts a family.
The brown owner marks his domain. Only he can hunt here. He marks boundaries in a special way, tearing off the bark from trees. In areas without plantings, a bear can peel off objects that are in its field of vision - stones, slopes.
In summer, he can rest carelessly in open meadows, lying directly on the ground. The main thing is that this place is secluded and safe for the bear.
Why connecting rod?
Before hibernating, a bear must gain required amount fat reserve. If it is not enough, the animal has to wander further in search of food. This is where the name comes from - connecting rod.
Moving during the cold season, the bear is doomed to death from frost, hunger or a hunter's gun. However, in winter you can find not only connecting rods. Often a bear's sleep can simply be disturbed by people. Then this well-fed animal is forced to look for a new shelter in order to plunge into hibernation again.
Finding a den
The bear chooses this winter refuge with special care. For dens, reliable, quiet places are chosen, located on the borders of swamps, in windbreaks, on river banks, in secluded caves. The shelter should be dry, warm, spacious and safe.
The bear arranges its den with moss, laying out a soft bedding from it. The shelter is camouflaged and insulated with tree branches. Very often a bear uses a good den for several years.
The life of brown bears consists of searching for food, especially before hibernation. Before falling asleep, the animal diligently confuses its tracks: it walks through swamps, meanders and even walks backwards.
Quiet and relaxing holiday
Bears sleep in a cozy den throughout the long, frosty winter. Old males leave their shelter first. The female bear and her offspring stay in the den longer than others. Hibernation of brown bears lasts 5-6 months. It usually starts in October and ends in April.
Bears do not fall into deep sleep. They remain sensitive and vital and are easily disturbed. A bear's body temperature during sleep is between 29-34 degrees. During hibernation, little energy is consumed, and the clubfoot only needs the fat reserve acquired during active time. During the winter rest period, the bear loses about 80 kg of its weight.
Features of wintering
All winter the bear sleeps on its side, curled up comfortably. Poses on the back or sitting with the head down are less common. Breathing and heart rate slow down during hibernation.
Surprisingly, this animal does not defecate during winter sleep. All waste products in the bear's body are reprocessed and converted into valuable proteins necessary for its existence. The rectum is closed by a dense plug consisting of pine needles, compressed grass and wool. It is removed after the animal leaves the den.
Does a bear suck its paw?
Many naively believe that during hibernation, the clubfoot extracts valuable vitamins from its limbs. But that's not true. The fact is that in January the skin on the bear's paw pads is renewed. Old dry skin covering bursts and causes him severe discomfort. To somehow moderate this itching, the bear licks its paw, moistening and softening it with its saliva.
Dangerous and strong animal
A bear is first and foremost a predator, powerful and terrible. A chance meeting with this angry beast will not bring anything good.
Spring rut, winter search for a new shelter - during these periods the brown bear is most dangerous. Descriptions or photographs of animals that live in nurseries and are kind to people should not deceive you - they grew up there under completely different conditions. In nature, a seemingly calm animal can show cruelty and easily blow your head off. Especially if you wandered into its territory.
Females with offspring should also be avoided. The mother is driven by instincts and aggression, so it is better not to get in her way.
Of course, the behavior of a clubfoot depends on the situation and time of year. Bears often run away on their own when they see a person in the distance. But don’t think that since this animal can eat berries and honey, this is its favorite food. Better nutrition for a bear it is meat, and he will never miss the opportunity to get it.
Why clubfoot?
This nickname is firmly attached to the bear. And all because when walking he steps alternately on his right and left paws. Therefore, from the outside it seems that the bear is clubbing.
But this slowness and clumsiness is deceptive. Whenever dangerous situation this beast instantly starts galloping and easily overtakes a person. The peculiarity of the structure of the front and hind legs allows him to show unprecedented agility when climbing uphill. He conquers peaks much faster than he descends from them.
It took more than one millennium for such a a complex system habitat and life of this amazing animal. As a result, brown bears have gained the ability to survive in areas where harsh conditions are present. climatic conditions. Nature is amazing, and one can only admire its wisdom and immutable laws that put everything in its place.
Bears are the largest predators living on our planet, both in size and power they surpass the more famous lion and tiger. However, 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, 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 is even more of a vegetarian than a predator. 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 views Bears 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. Different types bears, although they retain a general typological similarity, are different from each other appearance, habits and lifestyle.
Brown bear (Ursus arctos)
It ranks second in size after 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 different great variety 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 the 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 separate species bears, but just local name 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 they can only be awakened. serious danger or hunger. 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 They 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. Looking for 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 female bear gives birth in her sleep, or more precisely, during hibernation, she gives birth to 2-3 (less often 1 or 4) cubs. Babies are born very small, weighing only 500 g. They spend the first months of life 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).
Most close-up view 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 accumulates as 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 the north pole in a circle.
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 travel; they are very hardy, tolerate prolonged hunger well and are excellent swimmers, which helps them overcome large expanses of 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 constructing 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. Even though they formidable predators, but 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 waste.
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 in hollows for the winter.
Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus).
The territorial neighbor of the Himalayan bear, the range of the sloth bear also covers Southeast Asia. And here appearance 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. Sponge whale feeding 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 sponge fish is the main contender along with Himalayan bear for the role of Baloo from the book by Rudyard Kipling. 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 giant representative raccoon family. For this reason, the story about pandas is on a separate page.
Menacing brown bears are majestic guardians of forests. This beautiful animal is considered a symbol of Russia, although numerous habitats can be found in all corners of our planet. Since the brown bear is in danger of complete extinction, it is listed in the Red Book. This animal mainly lives in Russia, the USA and Canada. A small number of bears survive in Europe and Asia.
The lifestyle of this important “master of the taiga” is very interesting. How long does a brown bear live? What weight can it reach? We will tell you the most interesting facts about the life of the brown clubfoot in this article.
Brown bear: description of appearance
This animal is very strong. The powerful body is covered with thick hair, and the withers are clearly visible on the back. It contains a large number of muscles that allow the bear to deliver crushing blows with its paws, fell trees or dig the ground.
His head is very large, with small ears and small, deep-set eyes. The bears' tail is short - about 2 cm, barely noticeable under the layer of fur. The paws are very strong, with large curved claws reaching a length of 10 cm. When walking, the bear evenly transfers the weight of the body on the entire sole, like a person, and therefore it belongs to the species of plantigrade animals.
The fur of the famous “master of the taiga” is very beautiful - thick, evenly colored. Brown bears have a tendency to shed - in spring and autumn they renew their fur coat. The first coat change occurs immediately after hibernation and is very intense. Its manifestations are especially noticeable during the rutting period. Autumn molting proceeds slowly and continues until hibernation.
How long does a brown bear live?
The lifespan of a clubfoot depends on its habitat. In the wild, a brown bear can reach an age of 20 to 35 years. If the animal is kept in a zoo, this figure almost doubles. In captivity, a bear can live about 50 years. The onset of puberty occurs between the ages of 6 and 11 years.
Dimensions and weight of the animal
The standard body length of a clubfoot predator ranges from one to two meters. The largest bears live in Alaska, Kamchatka and the Far East. These are grizzlies, true giants, whose height reaches three meters when standing on their hind legs.
The maximum weight of a bear (brown) can be 600 kg. These are real heavyweight giants. The average weight of an adult male is 140-400 kg, and the weight of a female is 90-210 kg. The largest male was discovered on Kodiak Island. His body weight was enormous - 1134 kg. However, animals living in central Russia weigh much less - about 100 kg.
By autumn, this animal accumulates a large fat reserve for the upcoming hibernation, and therefore the weight of the bear (brown) increases by 20%.
Habitats
Bears mainly live in dense forests and swampy areas. They can often be seen in the tundra or alpine forests. In Russia, this animal occupies remote northern regions. Brown bears are very common in Siberia. The calm forests of the taiga allow the clubfoot to feel spacious and free, and here nothing interferes with their existence.
In the USA, bears live mainly in open areas - on the coasts, alpine meadows. In Europe they mainly live in dense mountain forests.
Brown bear populations can also be found in Asia. Their range occupies small areas of Palestine, Iran, northern China and the Japanese island of Hokkaido.
What do bears eat?
Omnivorousness and endurance are the main qualities that help the animal survive in difficult conditions. The brown bear's diet consists of 75% plant foods. The clubfoot can eat tubers, nuts, berries, grass stems, roots and acorns. If this is not enough, the bear can go to the crops of oats or corn, or feed in the cedar forests.
Large individuals have remarkable strength and hunt small young animals. With just one blow of a huge paw, a bear can break the spine of an elk or deer. He hunts roe deer, wild boar, fallow deer, and mountain goats. Without problems, brown bears can eat rodents, larvae, ants, frogs, worms and lizards.
Skilled fishermen and maskers
Bears often feed on carrion. The clubfoot skillfully covers the found remains of animals with brushwood and tries to stay nearby until it completely eats its “find.” If the bear has recently eaten, it may wait a few days. After some time, the meat of the killed animal will become softer, and he will enjoy it with pleasure.
The most amazing activity of bears is fishing. They go to the Far Eastern spawning rivers, where salmon accumulate en masse. Bears and their offspring especially often hunt here. The mother skillfully catches salmon and takes it to her cubs.
Up to 30 bears can be seen on the river at the same time, and they often engage in battle for prey.
Behavior
The bear has very developed sense of smell. He clearly feels the smell of decomposed meat, even being 3 km away from it. His hearing is also very well developed. Sometimes the bear stands on its hind legs to listen to a sound or sense the direction of the smell of food.
How does a bear behave in nature? The brown “master of the taiga” begins to walk around his property at dusk or early in the morning. In bad weather or during rainy periods, he can wander through the forest all day in search of food.
Speed and agility are the distinctive qualities of the beast
At first glance, this huge animal seems very clumsy and slow. But that's not true. The big brown bear is very agile and easy to move. In pursuit of a victim, it can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h. The bear is also an excellent swimmer. He can easily cover a distance of 6-10 km on water and enjoys swimming on hot summer days.
Young bears quickly climb trees. With age, this ability dulls a little, but does not disappear. However, deep snow is a difficult test for them, since the bear moves through it with great difficulty.
Breeding period
Having regained strength after a long sleep, brown bears are ready to mate. The rut begins in the spring, in May, and lasts about a month. Females signal their readiness to mate with a special secretion that has a strong odor. Using these marks, males find their chosen ones and protect them from rivals.
Sometimes fierce fights arise between two bears for the female, in which the fate, and sometimes the life, of one of them is decided. If one of the males dies, the winner may even eat him.
During the mating season, bears are very dangerous. They make a wild roar and can attack a person.
Reproduction
Exactly after 6-8 months, cubs are born in the den. Usually the female brings 2-4 cubs, completely bald, with underdeveloped organs of hearing and vision. However, after a month, the cubs’ eyes open and the ability to catch sounds appears. Immediately after birth, the cubs weigh about 500 g and their length reaches 25 cm. By 3 months, all baby teeth have erupted in the cubs.
For the first 6 months of their lives, babies feed on mother's milk. Then berries, insects, and greens are added to their diet. Later, the mother brings them fish or her catch. For about 2 years, babies live with their mother, learn habits, the intricacies of hunting, and hibernate with her. The independent life of a young bear begins at the age of 3-4 years. The father bear never takes part in raising his offspring.
Lifestyle
The brown bear is a fickle animal. It feeds in one place, sleeps in another, and can move several kilometers away from its usual habitat to mate. A young bear wanders around the area until it starts a family.
The brown owner marks his domain. Only he can hunt here. He marks boundaries in a special way, tearing off the bark from trees. In areas without plantings, a bear can peel off objects that are in its field of vision - stones, slopes.
In summer, he can rest carelessly in open meadows, lying directly on the ground. The main thing is that this place is secluded and safe for the bear.
Why connecting rod?
Before hibernating for the winter, the bear must gain the required amount of fat reserves. If it is not enough, the animal has to wander further in search of food. This is where the name comes from - connecting rod.
Moving during the cold season, the bear is doomed to death from frost, hunger or a hunter's gun. However, in winter you can find not only connecting rods. Often a bear's sleep can simply be disturbed by people. Then this well-fed animal is forced to look for a new shelter in order to plunge into hibernation again.
Finding a den
The bear chooses this winter refuge with special care. For dens, reliable, quiet places are chosen, located on the borders of swamps, in windbreaks, on river banks, in secluded caves. The shelter should be dry, warm, spacious and safe.
The bear arranges its den with moss, laying out a soft bedding from it. The shelter is camouflaged and insulated with tree branches. Very often a bear uses a good den for several years.
The life of brown bears consists of searching for food, especially before hibernation. Before falling asleep, the animal diligently confuses its tracks: it walks through swamps, meanders and even walks backwards.
Quiet and relaxing holiday
Bears sleep in a cozy den throughout the long, frosty winter. Old males leave their shelter first. The female bear and her offspring stay in the den longer than others. Hibernation of brown bears lasts 5-6 months. It usually starts in October and ends in April.
Bears do not fall into deep sleep. They remain sensitive and vital and are easily disturbed. A bear's body temperature during sleep is between 29-34 degrees. During hibernation, little energy is consumed, and the clubfoot only needs the fat reserve acquired during active time. During the winter rest period, the bear loses about 80 kg of its weight.
Features of wintering
All winter the bear sleeps on its side, curled up comfortably. Poses on the back or sitting with the head down are less common. Breathing and heart rate slow down during hibernation.
Surprisingly, this animal does not defecate during winter sleep. All waste products in the bear's body are reprocessed and converted into valuable proteins necessary for its existence. The rectum is closed by a dense plug consisting of pine needles, compressed grass and wool. It is removed after the animal leaves the den.
Does a bear suck its paw?
Many naively believe that during hibernation, the clubfoot extracts valuable vitamins from its limbs. But that's not true. The fact is that in January the skin on the bear's paw pads is renewed. The old dry skin bursts and causes severe discomfort. To somehow moderate this itching, the bear licks its paw, moistening and softening it with its saliva.
Dangerous and strong animal
A bear is first and foremost a predator, powerful and terrible. A chance meeting with this angry beast will not bring anything good.
Spring rut, winter search for a new shelter - during these periods the brown bear is most dangerous. Descriptions or photographs of animals that live in nurseries and are kind to people should not deceive you - they grew up there under completely different conditions. In nature, a seemingly calm animal can show cruelty and easily blow your head off. Especially if you wandered into its territory.
Females with offspring should also be avoided. The mother is driven by instincts and aggression, so it is better not to get in her way.
Of course, the behavior of a clubfoot depends on the situation and time of year. Bears often run away on their own when they see a person in the distance. But don’t think that since this animal can eat berries and honey, this is its favorite food. The best food for a bear is meat, and he will never miss an opportunity to get it.
Why clubfoot?
This nickname is firmly attached to the bear. And all because when walking he steps alternately on his right and left paws. Therefore, from the outside it seems that the bear is clubbing.
But this slowness and clumsiness is deceptive. When a dangerous situation arises, this animal instantly breaks into a gallop and easily overtakes a person. The peculiarity of the structure of the front and hind legs allows him to show unprecedented agility when climbing uphill. He conquers peaks much faster than he descends from them.
It took more than one millennium for such a complex system of habitat and life of this amazing animal to form. As a result, brown bears have gained the ability to survive in areas with harsh climatic conditions. Nature is amazing, and one can only admire its wisdom and immutable laws that put everything in its place.
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