There are 8 species of bears. Asiatic Bear, Brown Bear, North American Black Bear, Panda Bear, Polar Bear, Sloth Bear, Spectacled Bear and the Sun Bear.
Asiatic Bear (selenarctos thibetanus)
The Asiactic Bear also known as the moon bear spend most of their time in trees and live in forests. In the summer you will find them at high elevations, up to 13,000 ft. In the winter months they will come down to lower elevations. They live in the Eastern countries, Iran, Pakastan and you will also find them on the Japanese Islands. They have black fur and have a mein type appearance. They weigh around 225 lbs. Males can weigh up to 400 lbs.
They are nocturnal; sleep in caves and hollow trees. They will come out early in the morning for food. They sit on a bears nest that looks much like a birds nest to have access to food. They eat honey, termites, fruit, berries, beetle larvae, and carrion ( carcass of a dead animal).
Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus)
The Sloth Bear lives in warm climates and humid forests and can live in dry thorn forests in Asia and India. They weigh about 300 lbs with the female being a bit smaller than the males. They eat plants, termites, animals and other insects. They love termites. They will also eat honey from beehives, surar cane, yams and corn.
Nocturnal they travel and eat at night. They are sociable with other sloth bears. You might also see them hanging from the trees. They do not hibernate. They mate year round and the mother gives birth to 2 or 3 cubs and will stay with their mothers for up to 3 years.
Brown Bear (ursus arctos)
The Grizzley, Kodiak and Russion brown are all the same species. The bears that live in the lower 48 states and Alaska are the grizzley bears. Unfortunately because of over hunting they could evetually eliminate the species.
They live in the the mountains and valleys but found in many habitats. They have very thick coats and shed the undercoat in the spring/summer. The coat colors change by the season. Males weigh around 550 lbs and females weigh around 350 lbs. They stand around 7 feet on two legs and around 4 feet on all four legs.
They are omnivorous and eat animals and plants. They are active morning till night, dusk till dawn. Most of their time is during the day. They are not true hybernators, but sleep most of the winter and live on their stored fat.
They mate in the summer, but the embryo does not implant or start to grow until the mother goes to the den in late fall. By late April/May the cubs leave the den. Mother bears are known for their feriocity when defending their babies. The cubs stay with their mothers for about 3 weeks.
Polar Beat (ursus maritimus)
The most beautiful bear. They live in the Artic Circle and unfortunatley are under threat because of oil and gas drilling, over hunting, poaching, global warming and pollution.
Their fur layers keep them dry even when swimming in water and their skin is black to absorb the sun. The males weigh up to 1600 lbs and females up to 800 lbs. They can stand over 10 feet tall on their back legs. They have massive forepaws, webbed for swimming. Parts of their feet are not covered with fur and are like sandpaper, the soles are covered with fur to protect them from the cold.
They prefer to eat seal but will eat grasses, berries and seaweed in the summer. They do not eat fish and will go for weeks without food because they have huge stomachs and can eat up to 150 lbs at a time.
The pregnant females hibernate in the winter and use ice dens and will use stored fats for energy. They mate in late spring and usually have 2 cubs in December/January. The embyo will also not implant and begin to grow until the mother enters her den in late fall. The mothers will keep them warm and nourished until the cubs can generate their own heat. The babies stay with their mothers for about 3 years.
North American Black Bear (ursus americanus)
Black bears normally live in forested areas in swamps and high mountains and a variety of habitats. They range from black to brown in color and blueish in color. Adult males weight up to 500 lbs. and females up to 300 lbs. They stand 5 feet upright. They have long muzzels, large nostrils and small eyes.
Omnivorous, they eat berries, grasses, fish, roots, rodents, deer, moose and elk. At times when food is difficult to find they live on plant matter and are known to eat from garbage cans, dumps and beehives. They are active most between morning and later evening. They are very agile and can move up to 40 miles per hour.
They are not true hibernaters and will leave the den in winter months for food. They eat all they can in the summer to store as fat for the winter. They mate in spring/summer and the embryo will not start to grow until the mother goes to her den in the fall. The mother will build day beds at the base of trees to keep the cubs hidden. The mother has 1-4 cubs and are born in January/February and stay close to their mothers for a year or so.
Panda Bear (ailuropoda melanolcua)
The panda bear is found in China in the wilderness areas and prefer cold damp areas around 11,000 feet elevations. Unfortunatley there are only approximatley around 700 left in the wild. They can weigh over 200 lbs and are about 6 feet long.
They have highly developed muscles around the jaw area and their heads are round in appearance. Their forepaws are very flexible and have an extra digit somewhat like a thumb. They do not have heal pads on their hind feet. Their esophagus is very thick so they can swallow bamboo.
They eat mostly leaves, stems and bamboo. They will spend up to 12 hours a day eating bamboo and can consume up to 33 lbs a day. They will catch and eat meat if the opportunity arises. They are active mornings and evenings and rest when they are not eating.
Pandas mate in spring and give birth in the fall to two cubs but usually abandons and lets one die. The cubs usually stay with their mothers until they are about one and a half years old.
Spectacled Bear (tremarctos ornatus)
The Spectacled bear gets their name because of the colored rings around their eyes and live in South America in remote areas. They live in isolated areas away from humans whenever they can. They prefer humid and foggy areas above the rain forest in high elevations.
They weigh between 175 to 385 lbs. They have black to brown shaggy hair with yellow and white features around their eyes. Females are smaller than the males. They have long claws so they can climb the trees.
Vegetarian, they mostly eat fruit but also eat cacti, orchids bulbs and palm. They spend their days in fruit trees eating and sleeping. They are nocturnal and feed and travel at dusk and dawn. They often spend time in their nests built like a platform. They don't hybernate because they live in a warm climate.
They usually give birth to two cubs in January that are born helpless and blind and travel on their mothers back when they are around a month old.
Sun Bear (helarctos malayanus)
One of the most ferocious animals in the rain forest, they are the smallest and least studied bears and are known as the honey bear. The live in hot and humid lowland tropical environments. They live in South East Asia, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.
They have a thick coat but it protects them from mud, dirt and insects. The male weighs around 100 lbs. They have a long tongue to take honey from beehives. They will eat snails, fruit, eggs and rodents. They are excellent tree climbers because that is where they find most of their food. They spend most of their days napping in their nests in the trees and at spend their nights looking for food.
They do not hibernate because they live in warm climates. Breeding can happen any time of the year and usually give birth to two cubs. They are raised on the ground under branches and heavy cover until they can climb for themselves. The cubs stay with their mother for about a year. The father stays with the family.
Asiatic Bear (selenarctos thibetanus)
The Asiactic Bear also known as the moon bear spend most of their time in trees and live in forests. In the summer you will find them at high elevations, up to 13,000 ft. In the winter months they will come down to lower elevations. They live in the Eastern countries, Iran, Pakastan and you will also find them on the Japanese Islands. They have black fur and have a mein type appearance. They weigh around 225 lbs. Males can weigh up to 400 lbs.
They are nocturnal; sleep in caves and hollow trees. They will come out early in the morning for food. They sit on a bears nest that looks much like a birds nest to have access to food. They eat honey, termites, fruit, berries, beetle larvae, and carrion ( carcass of a dead animal).
Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus)
The Sloth Bear lives in warm climates and humid forests and can live in dry thorn forests in Asia and India. They weigh about 300 lbs with the female being a bit smaller than the males. They eat plants, termites, animals and other insects. They love termites. They will also eat honey from beehives, surar cane, yams and corn.
Nocturnal they travel and eat at night. They are sociable with other sloth bears. You might also see them hanging from the trees. They do not hibernate. They mate year round and the mother gives birth to 2 or 3 cubs and will stay with their mothers for up to 3 years.
Brown Bear (ursus arctos)
The Grizzley, Kodiak and Russion brown are all the same species. The bears that live in the lower 48 states and Alaska are the grizzley bears. Unfortunately because of over hunting they could evetually eliminate the species.
They live in the the mountains and valleys but found in many habitats. They have very thick coats and shed the undercoat in the spring/summer. The coat colors change by the season. Males weigh around 550 lbs and females weigh around 350 lbs. They stand around 7 feet on two legs and around 4 feet on all four legs.
They are omnivorous and eat animals and plants. They are active morning till night, dusk till dawn. Most of their time is during the day. They are not true hybernators, but sleep most of the winter and live on their stored fat.
They mate in the summer, but the embryo does not implant or start to grow until the mother goes to the den in late fall. By late April/May the cubs leave the den. Mother bears are known for their feriocity when defending their babies. The cubs stay with their mothers for about 3 weeks.
Polar Beat (ursus maritimus)
The most beautiful bear. They live in the Artic Circle and unfortunatley are under threat because of oil and gas drilling, over hunting, poaching, global warming and pollution.
Their fur layers keep them dry even when swimming in water and their skin is black to absorb the sun. The males weigh up to 1600 lbs and females up to 800 lbs. They can stand over 10 feet tall on their back legs. They have massive forepaws, webbed for swimming. Parts of their feet are not covered with fur and are like sandpaper, the soles are covered with fur to protect them from the cold.
They prefer to eat seal but will eat grasses, berries and seaweed in the summer. They do not eat fish and will go for weeks without food because they have huge stomachs and can eat up to 150 lbs at a time.
The pregnant females hibernate in the winter and use ice dens and will use stored fats for energy. They mate in late spring and usually have 2 cubs in December/January. The embyo will also not implant and begin to grow until the mother enters her den in late fall. The mothers will keep them warm and nourished until the cubs can generate their own heat. The babies stay with their mothers for about 3 years.
North American Black Bear (ursus americanus)
Black bears normally live in forested areas in swamps and high mountains and a variety of habitats. They range from black to brown in color and blueish in color. Adult males weight up to 500 lbs. and females up to 300 lbs. They stand 5 feet upright. They have long muzzels, large nostrils and small eyes.
Omnivorous, they eat berries, grasses, fish, roots, rodents, deer, moose and elk. At times when food is difficult to find they live on plant matter and are known to eat from garbage cans, dumps and beehives. They are active most between morning and later evening. They are very agile and can move up to 40 miles per hour.
They are not true hibernaters and will leave the den in winter months for food. They eat all they can in the summer to store as fat for the winter. They mate in spring/summer and the embryo will not start to grow until the mother goes to her den in the fall. The mother will build day beds at the base of trees to keep the cubs hidden. The mother has 1-4 cubs and are born in January/February and stay close to their mothers for a year or so.
Panda Bear (ailuropoda melanolcua)
The panda bear is found in China in the wilderness areas and prefer cold damp areas around 11,000 feet elevations. Unfortunatley there are only approximatley around 700 left in the wild. They can weigh over 200 lbs and are about 6 feet long.
They have highly developed muscles around the jaw area and their heads are round in appearance. Their forepaws are very flexible and have an extra digit somewhat like a thumb. They do not have heal pads on their hind feet. Their esophagus is very thick so they can swallow bamboo.
They eat mostly leaves, stems and bamboo. They will spend up to 12 hours a day eating bamboo and can consume up to 33 lbs a day. They will catch and eat meat if the opportunity arises. They are active mornings and evenings and rest when they are not eating.
Pandas mate in spring and give birth in the fall to two cubs but usually abandons and lets one die. The cubs usually stay with their mothers until they are about one and a half years old.
Spectacled Bear (tremarctos ornatus)
The Spectacled bear gets their name because of the colored rings around their eyes and live in South America in remote areas. They live in isolated areas away from humans whenever they can. They prefer humid and foggy areas above the rain forest in high elevations.
They weigh between 175 to 385 lbs. They have black to brown shaggy hair with yellow and white features around their eyes. Females are smaller than the males. They have long claws so they can climb the trees.
Vegetarian, they mostly eat fruit but also eat cacti, orchids bulbs and palm. They spend their days in fruit trees eating and sleeping. They are nocturnal and feed and travel at dusk and dawn. They often spend time in their nests built like a platform. They don't hybernate because they live in a warm climate.
They usually give birth to two cubs in January that are born helpless and blind and travel on their mothers back when they are around a month old.
Sun Bear (helarctos malayanus)
One of the most ferocious animals in the rain forest, they are the smallest and least studied bears and are known as the honey bear. The live in hot and humid lowland tropical environments. They live in South East Asia, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.
They have a thick coat but it protects them from mud, dirt and insects. The male weighs around 100 lbs. They have a long tongue to take honey from beehives. They will eat snails, fruit, eggs and rodents. They are excellent tree climbers because that is where they find most of their food. They spend most of their days napping in their nests in the trees and at spend their nights looking for food.
They do not hibernate because they live in warm climates. Breeding can happen any time of the year and usually give birth to two cubs. They are raised on the ground under branches and heavy cover until they can climb for themselves. The cubs stay with their mother for about a year. The father stays with the family.