Category Archives: Species Profile

Species Profile: The Grizzly Bear

The Grizzly Bear is possibly one of the most “notorious” and well-known bears today.

A Couple Of Grizzly Bears. They Have A Reputation For Being Dangerous But Conflicts Can Be Avoided With Some Precautions.

Grizzly Bear is the common name for a very well-known brown bear subspecies native to North America, parts of Europe and Asia. This bear is one of the largest in the family, coming close behind the Polar Bear and the Kodiak Bear.

It’s known in scientific circles as the North American brown bear or by its scientific name Ursus Arctos Horribilis.

The term “grizzly” could be interpreted as referring to two things: “Grizzled” for its golden/gray tipped hair or “grisly” for its perceived fearsome disposition. Individual bears vary in color from

Species Profile: The Cantabrian Brown Bear

Meet the Cantabrian Brown Bear, one of the most heavily protected bears on the Planet.

Cantabrian Brown Bears Range in Color From Different Shades of Brown to Blonde (Photo: FOP, Spain)

The Cantabrian Brown Bear is a population of Eurasian brown bears dwelling in the Cantabrian Mountains, Spain.

They are generally medium to moderately large sized bears that vary in color from different shades of brown to even a few blonde individuals

These are timid, cautious bears that were hunted almost to extinction. As a result, they avoid human contact whenever possible.

Species Profile: The Asian Black Bear

The Asian Black Bear is one of the most sought-after bear by poachers today.

An Asian Black Bear: They Usually Stand On Their Hindlegs When They Feel Threatened. (Author: Guérin Nicolas cc by-s.a 3.0)

The Asian Black Bear is a medium to large-sized mammal native to deciduous tropical forests in Asia.

This bear, also called the Asiatic black bear, has a strong and sturdy build with a large head and thick-set legs. Their legs allow them to stand for long periods of time so as to appear larger when they feel threatened.

You can easily identify them with their distinctive black fur (though sometimes brown or blonde).

There’s a distinctive whitish v-shaped marking on their chests and a band of longer fur around their necks. This longer fur almost looks like a mane and may be there to also make them look larger to potential predators.

Though this bear species has an extremely keen sense of smell, they suffer from poor eyesight and hearing.

These bears have adapted mostly to arboreal living (living in trees), and are closely related to the American Black Bear. However, unlike other black bears that are increasing in number, this particular bear is decreasing sharply in number.

Species Profile: The Kodiak Bear

The Kodiak Bear is one of the largest bears on Earth today: it’s second only to the Polar Bear.

A Kodiak Bear In A German Zoo (Author: S. Taheri/Wiki Commons cc by-s.a. 3.0)

The Kodiak bear is a native of the Alaskan Kodiak Archipelago islands.

This bear is a subspecies of the brown bear. In fact, it’s the second largest of brown bears: only the Polar Bear can surpass it.

Apart from its intimidating size and exclusive habitat, there isn’t much difference between this bear and other brown bears especially the grizzlies.

Species Profile: The Polar Bear

The Polar Bear is the largest land carnivore on Earth, only the Kodiak bear can rival it in size.

Polar Bear Sow Near Kaktovik, Barter Island, Alaska. (Author: Alan Wilson – www.naturespicsonline.com. cc by-s.a. 3.0)

The polar bear is a carnivorous bear that’s also classified as a marine mammal because of its native dwelling place exclusively within the Arctic Circle, and surrounding land masses.

This is a large bear. In fact, it’s rivaled in size only by the Kodiak bear with some individuals weighing over 1500 pounds (700 kg).

Species Profile: The Sloth Bear

The Sloth Bears are the only bears that carry their young on their backs and they absolutely love to eat termites!

A Sloth Bear At A Zoo In Washington, D.C. (Author: Asiir/Wiki Commons. P.D.)

The Sloth Bear is a reclusive, insectivorous mammal of the Ursid family that’s native to parts of the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka. They are easily recognized by their long, shaggy, somewhat unkempt looking black fur, and relatively trimmer stature when compared to brown and Asian black bears.

They have long (4 inch), crescent-shaped claws, a thick, long muzzle and a lower lip and palate specially adapted for expertly sucking up insects like termites and honeybees. Sloth bears also have very large floppy ears and knee-jointed legs that allows them to assume almost any position.

Species Profile: The Sun Bear

The Sun Bear is commonly referred to as the “honey bear”, but make no mistake: this bear is a fearsome predator.

Female Sun B At The Zoo Of Basel. Look At Those Impressive Claws! (Author: Tambako The Jaguar cc by-s.a. 2.0)

The Sun Bear holds the title of the smallest bear worldwide. It’s found in parts of the tropical forest habitats of Southeast Asia.

This bear is also called the “honey bear”, because of its almost insatiable appetite for honey and honeycombs. The sun bear is characteristically jet-black with a contrasting crescent shaped mark on the neck area hence the name “sun bear.”

Though a few individuals are red/gray in color.

This bear is known for its excessively aggressive behavior and may frequently attack “intruders” without warning. Its robust teeth, powerful bite force, and long, curved claws make for a very dangerous combination.

In fact, these bears are generally considered among some of the most dangerous animals you can encounter in the jungle!

Species Profile: The American Black Bear

Meet one of the most commonly seen and well-known bears on the North American continent: The American Black Bear.

American Black Bear, Riding Mountain Park, Manitoba, Canada (Author: Diginatur/Wiki Commons cc 3.0)

The American black bear is a medium-sized bear that’s native to North America. It’s actually the smallest among the three bear species found in North America: black bears, brown bears, and polar bears. This bear is the most common and widely distributed among all bear species in that region.

In fact, it’s also the world’s most common bear species.

Unlike the grizzly bear, they don’t have a pronounced shoulder hump. Also, they don’t have retractable claws and this allows them to climb trees very well.

Though they are called ‘black,’ many variations in color exist. In the east most are black with a brown muzzle, in the west some are brown, cinnamon, or even blonde-colored. There are even some with white-bluish fur: these are known as Kermode (glacier) bears and they exist only in coastal British Columbia in Canada.

Species Profile: The Spectacled Bear

Learn every detail you need to know about the spectacled bear.

The Spectacled or Andean Bear.

The spectacled bear is a solitary bear that’s only found in the Andes mountain range of the South American continent. This bear is actually the only bear native to South America. In the wild, its territory ranges from Northwest Argentina, to Peru, Venezuela and Brazil.

This bear species is the only surviving species of native bear in South America and the only extant short-faced bear from its subfamily: Tremarctinae. They have a more rounded face and shorter snout when compared to other living bears like the polar bear, or brown bear.

Species Profile: The Brown Bear

The brown bear is the most widespread and well-known species of bear alive today.

An Ussuri Brown Bear Of Hokkaido (Author: MiNe sfmine79/Wikimedia Commons cc 2.0)

The brown bear is the most widely distributed bear species worldwide and is one of the largest land carnivores alive today. The only other bear that can rival it in size is its close relative, the polar bear.

There are many subspecies of the brown bear, and it’s generally very well-known among humans wherever they inhabit. They are so popular that they are the favorite state and national symbols and sports team mascots in many countries.