Brown bear short description. Red book animal brown bear: description, hibernation, pictures, photos, video about the life of a brown bear. What does a bear eat

Formidable brown bears are the majestic guardians of the forests. This beautiful animal is considered a symbol of Russia, although its numerous habitats can be found in all corners of our planet. Since the brown bear is under the threat of complete extinction, it is listed in the Red Book. Basically, this animal lives in Russia, the USA and Canada. A small number of bears have survived in Europe and Asia.

The lifestyle of this important "master of the taiga" is very interesting. How long does a brown bear live and how much weight can it reach? Most interesting Facts we will tell 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. A large number of muscles have accumulated in it, which 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. Bears have a short tail - about 2 cm, barely noticeable under the layer of wool. The paws are very strong, with large curved claws, reaching a length of 10 cm. When walking, the bear evenly transfers its body weight to the entire sole, like a person, and therefore it belongs to the species of plantigrade animals.

The coat of the famous "master of the taiga" is very beautiful - thick, evenly colored. Brown bears have a tendency to molt - they renew their fur coat in spring and autumn. The first coat change occurs immediately after hibernation and is very intense. Its manifestations are especially noticeable during the rutting season. The autumn molt is slow and continues until hibernation.

How long does a brown bear live?

The life span of a clubfoot depends on its habitat. In conditions wildlife brown bear can reach the age of 20 to 35 years. If the animal is kept in a zoo, this figure almost doubles. In captivity, a bear can live for about 50 years. The onset of puberty occurs between the ages of 6 and 11.

Dimensions and weight of the animal

The standard length of the body of a club-footed 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. Average weight an adult male is at the level of 140-400 kg, and the weight of a female is 90-210 kg. The largest male was found 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%.

Habitat

Mostly bears live in dense forests, in swampy areas. They can often be seen in the tundra or high mountain forests. In Russia, this animal occupies the remote northern regions. Brown bears are very common in Siberia. Calm taiga forests 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 mountainous dense forests.

In Asia, you can also find populations of the brown bear. Their range covers 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 to survive in difficult conditions. In the diet of brown bears, 75% are plant foods. Clubfoot can feed on tubers, nuts, berries, grass stems, roots and acorns. If this is not enough, the bear can go to crops of oats or corn, feed in the pine forests.

Large individuals have remarkable strength and hunt small young animals. With just one blow of a huge paw, a bear can interrupt the spine of an elk or a deer. He hunts roe deer, wild boars, fallow deer, mountain goats. Brown bears can feed on rodents, larvae, ants, frogs, worms, and lizards without any problem.

Skillful fishermen and camouflages

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 can wait a few days. After a while, the meat of the killed animal will become softer, and he will enjoy it with pleasure.

The most amazing thing to do for bears is fishing. They go to the Far Eastern spawning rivers, where salmon accumulate in large quantities. Bears with their offspring especially often hunt here. The mother skillfully catches the salmon and carries it to her cubs.

At the same time, up to 30 bears can be seen on the river, which often fight for prey.

Behavior

The bear has very developed sense of smell. He clearly feels the smell of decomposed meat, even when he is at a distance of 3 km. His hearing is also very well developed. Sometimes the bear stands on its hind legs to listen to a sound or to feel the direction of the smell of food.

How does a bear behave in nature? The brown "master of the taiga" begins to bypass its possessions 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 \u200b\u200band agility are the distinctive qualities of the beast

At first glance, this huge animal seems to be very awkward and slow. But this is not the case. The large brown bear is very agile and easy to move. In pursuit of a victim, he 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 by water and swim with pleasure on hot summer days.

Young bears nimbly 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 on it with great difficulty.

Breeding period

Having regained their 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 inform about readiness for mating with a special secret that has a strong smell. By these marks, males find their chosen ones and protect them from rivals.

Sometimes fierce battles 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 it.

IN mating season bears are very dangerous. They emit a wild roar and can attack a person.

Reproduction of offspring

Exactly 6-8 months later, 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 pick up sounds appears. Immediately after birth, the cubs weigh about 500 g and their length reaches 25 cm. By the age of 3 months, all baby teeth erupt in the cubs.

For the first 6 months of their life, babies feed on their mother's milk. Then berries, insects, greens are added to their diet. Later, the mother brings them fish or her prey. For about 2 years, the kids live with their mother, learn the habits, the intricacies of hunting, go into hibernation 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 the offspring.

Lifestyle

The brown bear is a fickle animal. In one place he eats, in another he sleeps, and for mating he can leave his usual habitat for several kilometers. A young bear roams the area until it starts a family.

The brown master marks his possessions. Only he can hunt here. He marks the borders in a special way, tearing the bark from the trees. In areas without plantings, a bear can peel objects that are in his field of vision - stones, slopes.

In the summer, he can carelessly rest 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 going into hibernation, 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. From this came the name - connecting rod.

Moving in the cold season, the bear is doomed to die from frost, hunger or a hunter's gun. However, in winter you can find not only the connecting rod. Oftentimes, a bear's sleep may simply be disturbed by humans. Then this well-fed animal is forced to seek a new shelter in order to plunge into hibernation again.

Find a den

The bear chooses this winter refuge with great 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 equips its den with moss, laying out a soft bedding from it. The shelter is masked and insulated with tree branches. Very often a bear uses a good den for several years.

The life of brown bears is to search for food, especially before hibernation. Before falling asleep, the animal diligently confuses its tracks: it walks through the swamps, winds and even walks backwards.

Quiet and relaxing stay

The bears sleep in a cozy den throughout the frosty long winter. Old males leave their shelter before anyone else. The bear with her offspring is in the den longer than the others. Hibernation of brown bears lasts 5-6 months. It usually begins in October and ends in April.

Bears do not plunge into deep sleep. They retain their sensitivity and vitality and are easy to disturb. The body temperature of a bear during sleep is in the range of 29-34 degrees. During hibernation, little energy is consumed, and the clubfoot has enough of its fat reserves acquired during active time. During the winter rest period, the bear loses about 80 kg of its weight.

Wintering features

All winter, the bear sleeps on its side, curled up comfortably. Less commonly, there are postures on the back or sitting, with the head down. 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 re-processed and converted into valuable proteins necessary for its existence. The rectum is closed by a dense plug consisting of needles, compressed grass and wool. It is removed after the animal leaves the den.

Does the bear suck its paw?

Many naively believe that during hibernation, clubfoot extracts valuable vitamins from their limbs. But this is not the case. The fact is that in January, the skin on the paw pads of the bear is renewed. Old dry skin bursts and gives him severe discomfort. To somehow moderate this itching, the bear licks its paw, moisturizing and softening it with its saliva.

Dangerous and strong animal

The bear is, first of all, a predator, powerful and fearsome. A chance encounter with this angry beast will not do anything good.

Spring rut, winter search for new shelter - during these periods the brown bear is most dangerous. Descriptions or photographs of animals that live in nurseries and treat people kindly should not deceive you - they grew up there in completely different conditions. In nature, a seemingly calm beast can be cruel 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 the season. Often bears run away on their own, seeing a man in the distance. But do not think that since this beast can eat berries and honey, this is his favorite food. Best food for a bear it is meat, and he will never miss an opportunity to get it.

Why clubfoot?

This nickname is firmly entrenched for the bear. And all from the fact that when walking, he steps alternately on the right and left paws. Therefore, from the outside it seems that the bear is clubfoot.

But this slowness and clumsiness is deceiving. When a dangerous situation arises, this animal instantly starts 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 the peaks much faster than descends from them.

It took more than one millennium to form such a complex system of habitation and life of this amazing animal. As a result, brown bears have acquired the ability to survive in areas with harsh climatic conditions. Nature is amazing, and you can only admire her wisdom and immutable laws that put everything in its place.

According to popular belief, polar bears and penguins live where there is a lot of snow and ice. This is true, but although these species prefer extreme conditions, in natural environment they do not inhabit the same territory. Polar bears love the Arctic, while penguins love Antarctica. Let's take a closer look at where polar bears and penguins live.

Polar bears - habitat and habits

In their natural environment, polar bears live in the polar regions of the North Pole. These animals are well adapted to life in the tough north with extreme low temperatures... Thanks to their impressive reserves of subcutaneous fat and thick fur, polar bears feel comfortable both on land and in icy water. Such a habitat does not prevent large predators from leading a full-fledged lifestyle.

Polar bears live in natural conditions in several countries, including Russia, Greenland, Canada, Alaska and Norway. Large predators have no tendency to migrate, they live in a specific area, preferring areas with open water, since fish is a favorite food polar bear.

IN summer time due to the rise in temperature, polar bears are dispersed. Some animals are found even at the North Pole. Today, the number of these animals, compared to previous years, is small, but not critical, so it's too early to talk about the disappearance of the species from the face of the planet.

The polar bear is a large land predator. In nature, males weighing up to 800 kg are often found. The average weight of a male is 450 kg. Females weigh half as much, but before wintering or during pregnancy, they significantly increase their body weight. The brown bear is considered the closest relative of the polar bear, so crossing these species usually ends with success.

Peculiarities of seasonal behavior of polar bears

It is striking that polar bears do not have a hibernation period. They remain active throughout the year. With the approach of cold weather, animals are actively gaining subcutaneous fat.

Polar bears owe their name to the shade of their fur. IN winter time animals use fur for camouflage. The ingenuity of polar bears deserves special attention. While waiting for prey, these massive predators cover their nose with their paws, which is the only dark spot. In summer, the polar bear's fur takes on a straw tint. This is the merit of ultraviolet rays.

I would like to note that the polar bear has a multilevel “dress”. The black skin, which perfectly absorbs the heat of the sun, is covered with a fluffy undercoat. The animal also has long protective hairs. They are transparent and have excellent thermal conductivity.

Polar bears are extremely hardy. Despite their decent body weight, the animals move quickly, taking advantage of the bouncing run. Often, in pursuit of prey, a predator overcomes up to 500 meters.

The polar bear also feels great in water. Without a break, he swims up to 1 km. This animal also dives excellently. For five minutes, he quietly engages in spearfishing.

The polar bear's diet includes fish, sea and land animals. Sometimes seals also get on the table of the predator. Thanks to a decent supply of fat, he goes without food for a long time, but if luck smiles, he eats up to 20 kg of meat at a time.

Polar bears don't drink. They receive the liquid necessary for a full-fledged existence from food of animal origin. Note that due to the cold climate, they do not sweat profusely. So they practically do not lose moisture.

Penguins - habitat and habits

Penguins are funny birds. They have wings, but they don't fly. Clumsy on land, but extremely graceful in water. Many people are of the opinion that they live only in Antarctica. This is not true. This part of the planet is inhabited by only 3 species, the rest of the species like warmer regions.

With the exception of the breeding and feeding period, penguins stay in the open seas of the Southern Hemisphere. Most of the birds are concentrated in Antarctica and on the territory of nearby islands. In tropical latitudes, they appear in places with a cold current. The Galapagos Islands, which are located near the equator, are considered the northernmost habitat for penguins.

Where are penguins found?

• Antarctica ... A continent with a harsh climate eternal ice and extremely low temperatures has become an ideal habitat for chinstrap and emperor penguins, as well as the Adélie species. From early spring to mid-autumn, they live in the ocean, after which they return to land, unite in colonies, build nests, reproduce and feed offspring.
• Africa ... The hot African coast, washed by the cold Benguela current, was chosen by spectacled penguins. This species is incredibly sociable. It is not surprising that many tourists come to the Cape of Good Hope every year for an unforgettable bird experience.
• Australia ... The Australian or blue penguin lives here. It differs from other species in its modest weight and small growth - 1 kg and 35 cm, respectively. The largest number of representatives of the smallest species is concentrated on Phillip Island. Travelers visit this place to admire the Penguin Parade. Small birds gather at the water's edge in small groups, after which they march to their burrows in the sandy hills.
• Argentina ... The Orkney and Shetland Islands are home to King Penguins, which grow up to one meter in height. The authorities of Latin America protect these birds in every possible way, which contributes to an increase in the population.
• New Zealand ... The islands are home to Magnificent penguins - the rarest species. Their distinctive feature - accommodation in pairs. They are not going to the colony. Due to the small number of individuals, the species is under protection.
• South Atlantic ... Macaroni penguins are found along the coast of Chile, the Falkland Islands and Tierra del Fuego. Their huge colonies attract tourists with their amazing singing males, which attract females so much.
• Peru ... The Peruvian coast, along which the cold current runs, is the abode of the Humboldt penguins. For various reasons, their number decreases annually, in total there are 12 thousand pairs.

As you can see, there are a considerable number of penguin species, each of which lives in its own amazing corner. These birds are unique, and humanity is simply obliged to make sure that they continue to delight us with a unique look and other individual characteristics.

Features of the seasonal behavior of penguins

The penguin lifestyle is extremely unusual. It is not surprising, because these flightless birds use wings as fins, and all parents take part in raising and feeding offspring.

In penguins, the courtship period ends with the establishment of offspring. The result of the joint efforts of a married couple is an egg. It needs protection from snow, otherwise, under the influence of low temperatures, the offspring will die at the initial stage.

The female carefully lays the egg on the paws of the male and goes in search of food. Having received the egg, the male envelops the future baby with an abdominal fold. He will have to warm the egg for 2 months. Often, for the sake of preserving the offspring, the male resorts to the help of other members of the brotherhood.

After the appearance of the baby, the male feeds him with milk, for the production of which the stomach and esophagus of the bird are responsible. Penguin milk is an incredibly nutritious liquid with 10 times more fat and protein than cow's milk.

While the father is caring for the child, the female catches squid and fish. The penguin's tongue is covered with “needles” turned towards the pharynx. If the prey hit the beak, it will not work to escape.

Penguins hunt in a flock. Females gathered in a large company dive into the water and, opening their mouths wide, fly into the school of fish at speed. After such a maneuver, a tidbit is always in the mouth.

Upon her return, the female, who has gained weight, feeds the hungry family members. In her stomach, a caring mother brings up to 4 kg of half-digested food. The little penguin is transplanted onto its mother's legs and eats the brought delicacies for several weeks.

Video material

Where do polar bears and penguins live in captivity?

Every person who has visited the zoo has probably seen a polar bear. For these animals, spacious corrals are equipped, where conditions are created that are most appropriate to the natural environment. It is about simulating a cold climate, creating reservoirs with icy water and snow shelters.

In captive animals, the fur sometimes takes on a green tint. All because under the influence high temperature fur becomes an ideal breeding ground for algae.

Within the territory of Central Europe penguins are found exclusively in zoos. Administrators of some establishments organize "penguin marches" for visitors. Under the supervision of the zoo workers, the birds leave the enclosure for a walk. Such events are organized by the zoos of Edinburgh, Munich and other large cities in Europe.

Penguins living in captivity often experience a fungal infection that affects the respiratory tract. Therefore, for preventive purposes in the summer, birds are kept behind glass partitions.

Summarize. During today's investigation, we found that polar bears and penguins, contrary to popular belief, do not occur on the same territory. At the whim of nature, they were scattered to different ends of the planet. I think this is for the best, because white bears, due to their hunting character, would not allow penguins to exist in peace. These birds have enough life problems and enemies even without bears. Remember this if you plan to take the exam in biology. See you!

An animal that almost everyone recognizes at first sight, familiar from childhood from fairy tales and cartoons, is a bear.

Description of the bear

He has a short and thick body, the same neck, and a muzzle extended forward. The predator has small eyes and ears. Despite this, he has excellent eyesight and excellent hearing.

The paws have 5 toes each with long, very powerful claws. It is not for nothing that they call it clubfoot, because the animal walks, stepping completely on its entire foot. This makes his gait seem awkward. In fact, without being particularly graceful, bears can move quite quickly. They are very hardy, therefore they are able to cover long distances without rest.

All bears have a tail. It is usually very short and inconspicuous. Only the giant panda has a large tail.

Animals swim well. A polar bear has membranes on its paws. Thanks to this, it can stay in the water for a long time, covering distances of 30 km or more without rest.

Where does a bear live in the wild?

The habitat of the animal is wide. It includes the Arctic and Antarctic, Canada and Alaska. In nature, the bear can be found in Europe, Asia, on the American continent. Some representatives of predators live in Australia, on the islands of Japan, Sumatra, Java. They live on plains and mountains, on the shores of oceans, hot and very cold areas.

Some dig dens, others live in hollows of trees, and still others - in caves. All bears, except for the white one, are sedentary. They love loneliness, although sometimes they can live in families (bear and cubs).

How long does a bear live?

Life expectancy ranges from 18 to 30 years, in captivity - up to 50.

How much does a bear weigh?

The weight of the smallest representative of the species - the koala - is from 4 kg to 18 kg, and the largest - the polar bear - from 250 kg to 450 kg.

What does a bear eat?

The diet of animals consists of berries, nuts, and roots. They love fish, insects, frogs, and shellfish. The brown bear is not averse to eating meat of roe deer, deer, and elk. Loves honey. The Malay bear eats bananas, and the panda eats sugarcane shoots. The smallest, marsupial bear, the koala, is a vegetarian: it eats eucalyptus and makes up for the lack of protein by eating the earth. This is the only representative whose menu contains neither insects nor meat from other animals.

Breeding bears

The bear is a monogamous animal. Despite this, bear families are short-lived. Predators get together when mating season arrives. After fertilization of the female, the family breaks up. Pregnancy lasts differently for each species. The duration of bearing cubs is up to 200 days. Almost all female bears give birth to 1 to 3 cubs. Cubs are born blind, toothless, hairless. They feed on mother's milk for 2 years. They reach sexual maturity by 3-4 years. Only after that do they leave the mother.

Types of bears

Zoologists distinguish several types of bears. Each species has subspecies.

Baribal - this is the name of the American bear - the most benevolent of the family. Although, in case of danger, it can hit with a paw, but immediately run back to a safe distance. The same clubfoot, like his relatives.

He lives in 30 US states, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It can be found in Mexico, Alaska.

The baribal's fur is black, sometimes gray or bluish-black. The growth of an adult male is about 2 m, weight reaches 350 kg. The black bear is the most common species in America.

The American bear eats berries, bees and termites, and catches fish. With pleasure he will enjoy the meat of pigs or sheep.

A bear in captivity, under human protection, can live up to 30 years. Lives in natural conditions for 12 years.

The black bear is afraid of people, although it can go out on the track, climb to the farm in search of food.

The black bear has several names: white-breasted, Himalayan, Ussuri. The most romantic of them all: the moon bear. The name was given to him because of the crescent-shaped spot on the chest: white, sometimes with a yellowish tinge.

The Himalayan bear lives in the forests and hills of Iran, Afghanistan. A large population of the predator lives in the Himalayas, Korea, Japan. On the territory of Russia - in the Khabarovsk Territory (the image can be seen on the coat of arms), Yakutia. The Himalayan bear is found in Vietnam.

Males are rather large: the length reaches 1 m 80 cm, at the withers - up to 80 cm. Weight - up to 80 kg. Females are much smaller and lighter.

The Himalayan bear is often hunted. At the same time, not only animal fur is valuable. In some countries (Laos, Vietnam, China), it is bred on special farms to collect bile, which is widely used chinese medicine... Here the paws of the predator are eaten.

The Himalayan bear spends most of its time in the trees. Here he looks for food, escapes from the midges. The diet consists of nuts, berries, plant shoots, acorns. Since the predator's body needs protein, the bear eats ants, other insects, and frogs.

The Himalayan bear mates from June to August. Females give birth to 1 or 2 babies weighing 400 g.

Sleeps in winter. The main enemies are the Amur tiger and brown bear.

Life expectancy is no more than 25 years.

One of the largest family of bears, its average size reaches 3 m. It weighs from 350 kg to 450 kg. The heaviest bear lived in the Berlin zoo, weighed 760 kg. Lives in the Caucasus, in the northern part of Russia. Found in Scandinavia, Carpathians. A small number lives in Palestine, Iran, northern Iraq. It is difficult to name the exact place where the brown bear lives. The fact is that if there is enough forage somewhere, then it will not go further than 500 hectares from there. If food is not enough, then the brown bear begins to roam in search of food. The animal is a forest dweller. He prefers to arrange a den where there are many swamps, in coniferous or mixed forests. It is quite difficult to meet a brown bear, since it is awake at night.

The animal's appearance is deceiving. He looks, like the whole family, awkward: a huge head, short legs, large withers. But it can easily catch up with its prey, it swims perfectly (it can swim up to 6 km without stopping). At a young age, it climbs trees perfectly.

The predator is endowed with tremendous power. It will not be difficult for him to rip out ribs or break the skull of any large animal. With a paw, he can break a person's spine. The animal is dangerous after hibernation, when hunger drives it for prey. During this period, he is not averse to feasting on human flesh.

Sleeps in winter. The longest sleep duration is about 200 days. This is how long the brown bear sleeps on the Kola Peninsula, where winter lasts from November to April, and longer. The animal prepares the den in advance: it finds a dry place, covers it with dry foliage, hay, branches. Very rarely can arrange a rookery right on the ground.

Pregnant bears equip dens in such a way that there is plenty of space, as well as ventilation. In winter, the den is covered with snow, which becomes a kind of blanket for the mother and the cubs.

The animal sleeps very sensitively. This dream is like numbness. Wakes up when he runs out of fat reserves.

Animals, which for some reason have not worked up fat, do not hibernate at all, but wander through the forest, looking for food. They are called "connecting rods". These predators are the most dangerous.

Life expectancy is about 30 years, in the net - up to 50 years.

The local population called the animal a bear-dog. The maximum body length barely reaches 1 m 50 cm, weighs from 25 kg to 65 kg. The yellow spot on the chest looks like a rising sun, so another name is the sun bear. It is assumed that the black bear uses the light spot to intimidate enemies. During the fight, he takes a threatening pose, standing upright on his hind legs. Distinctive feature - loose skin around the neck. This allows the animal to turn its head and deliver unexpected blows with its fangs. Leopards and tigers are dangerous for biruang.

The black bear lives on the island of Java, Sumatra, on the Malacca Peninsula, Borneo. The habitat is a tropical, subtropical forest, sometimes found in the mountains.

The sun bear is the most aggressive of the family. With sharp fangs, he gnaws at wood to get insects out of it. In addition, it feeds on berries and earthworms. It is not carnivorous, but it can eat lizards and birds. He eats bananas, coconut sprouts with pleasure. Zoo workers know what the animal eats, but they are given peanut butter and crickets to eat.

How long a black bear lives in natural conditions is not known exactly. In captivity, his age reaches 24 years.

The sun bear is monogamous. There is no specific period for mating, it can occur at any time of the year. Mating games last from 2 to 7 days. A female's gestation period can last from 95 to 210 days. Brings from 1 to 3 puppies, which are born blind, the weight of newborn puppies is about 300g. They grow very quickly. 2-3 months after birth, they run, play, eat with their mother, although they suck milk for up to 4 months.

The animal is listed in the Red Book as an endangered species.

Grizzly

A gray bear that lives in Alaska, in northern Canada. A small number survived in Montana, near Washington and Yellowstone. The height of the bear is about 4m, its claws are a dangerous weapon 15 cm long. There is no exact answer how much a grizzly bear weighs. The maximum weight is about 210 kg, the weight of the smallest female is just over 130 kg. Like the brown bear, it can live up to 30 years. The grizzly bear is considered a bloodthirsty predator, although the food that the animal eats is no different from the diet of congeners. The gray bear prefers algae, young plant shoots, berries. He loves fish, honey, does not neglect frogs, lizards. He hears the smell of carrion 30 km away, and eats it with pleasure. It hunts mostly weak or young animals. Able to reach speeds of up to 60 km / h, easily cross the river, while demonstrating his enormous strength. Grizzly is fishing during salmon spawning. He lowers his head into the water and catches prey with his teeth or paw. Particularly agile animals are able to catch fish when it jumps out of the water.

A grizzly bear hibernates in a den. During the thaw, he wakes up and wanders through the forest, looking for food. Goes to bed again when the frosts get worse.

As loners, animals communicate only during the mating season. From the moment of mating to the birth of cubs, it takes about 250 days. The mother has been taking care of them for 2 years.

The grizzly bear is not a threat to humans. He can show aggression towards him only when he senses danger.

The king of the Far North and the Arctic Ocean is the polar bear. The largest member of the family. Height 1.5 m, length 3 m. The male is much heavier than the female. It weighs 450 kg, the maximum female weight is 250 kg. Habitat - the Far North. Occurs on the island of Spitsbergen, on Novaya Zemlya, in the Hudson Bay area. Sometimes, drifting on an ice floe, he ends up in Iceland.

The body of the bear is elongated, thick, with a large layer of subcutaneous fat. The predator's feet are longer than those of congeners, because it needs to walk in the snow. Feet are equipped with webbing for swimming. The coat is white, or with a yellowish tinge, regardless of the season.

Clumsy in appearance, the polar bear swims beautifully. The speed that it develops is 45 km / h. Even in the waters of the Arctic, it can swim 80 km without interruption. The undercoat serves as an air cushion. Has no equal in fishing.

The polar bear has keen eyesight, perfectly navigates the endless snowy expanses. He determines the road he needs with ease, while choosing the shortest distance to get to the goal he needs.

The polar bear is the largest animal in its range, so it is not afraid of anyone. An excellent hunter. It eats everything that lives around, but a special delicacy is eggs and chicks of Arctic birds.

For an animal, frost of 80 ° C is not a problem. The main thing is that there is water nearby, not covered with ice.

The female hunts all year round, leaving this activity only for the duration of pregnancy. During this period, she hides in a burrow of snow, bearing cubs, supporting the body due to the accumulated subcutaneous fat. Usually she gives birth to 2 babies, whom she quickly teaches all the intricacies of northern life.

Today, hunting for an animal is prohibited. It is allowed to kill them only for the purpose of self-defense.

The life span of an animal reaches 25 - 30 years.

A polar bear never attacks a person. This can happen if the animal feels aggression on its part. A predator can approach a person only out of curiosity. But if a person begins to feed the bear, then he will perceive it as a source of food.

Gubach

The length of the predator reaches 2 m, the height at the withers is from 60 cm to 90 cm. Females are about a third smaller than males. The animal has a massive body with a large head and an elongated muzzle. His lips are always protruding forward, completely devoid of wool. Wool is often black, sometimes with a dirty brown tint.

You can meet a bear in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh.

The bamboo bear, which previously had other names: the cat-bear, the spotted bear, lives in the northern regions of China. At the beginning of the 20th century, it became the emblem of the country. Males are 10% larger than females and 20% heavier. The length reaches 1.8 m, weight - up to 160 kg. Panda is a bear with a special coat color: the main color is white, paws, ears, round spots around the eyes are black. The panda has a tail 10-15 cm long. It has five toes and a sixth, designed for tearing the thinnest bamboo stalks. This plant is the main food of the animal, the daily rate is about 30 kg. Panda, like all bears, needs protein. To replenish it, they eat eggs, insects, and sometimes small animals.

The habitat of the spotted bear is wide; in summer it climbs up to 4000 m in order to hide from the heat.

The puberty of an animal occurs from 4 to 8 years. Pregnancy lasts 3 to 5.5 months. Usually 1 or 2 cubs are born, weighing up to 130 g. At the same time, the mother takes care of the first baby, leaving the second. Childbirth takes place once every 2 years. Therefore, the population is growing slowly. Life expectancy is 20 years.

The panda is considered an endangered species. According to the latest data, the number of animals is just over 2 thousand.

The Chinese authorities have taken the beast under state protection. The death penalty is provided for its destruction.

The homeland of the animal is Australia. The answer to the question of which family it belongs to is controversial. Koala is both a marsupial mammal and a marsupial bear. Perhaps the only similarity with the view is external. Soft gray fur, small eyes, curved nose, round ears leave no one indifferent.

The growth of the animal is only 60 cm, weighs from 4 kg to 13 kg. The limbs and claws of the beast are designed in such a way that it can climb trees.

The papillary pattern of the pads on the fingers is so similar to the human that it is difficult to distinguish them even with a microscope.

A koala's diet consists of eucalyptus leaves and bark. A plant that is poisonous to others is not harmful to the koala. Every day, they eat from 500 g to 1 kg of the plant. To replenish trace elements, they eat earth.

The marsupial bear is a slow animal, motionless for almost 20 hours a day. At this time, he chews the leaves collected and stored behind his cheeks, or sleeps, or slowly moves along the tree trunk. The animal swims beautifully. He knows how to jump, but he does it, fleeing danger, or in search of food.

Koalas breed from October to February. Several females gather near one male. Pregnancy lasts a little over a month. The newborn is in the mother's bag for six months, where he feeds on her milk. The next six months he lives on his mother's wool, clinging tenaciously to her.

Animals are like children: they are easily tamed by humans. They love to be stroked. Left alone, they begin to yearn and cry.

The koala has no enemies, because the bear cub smells of eucalyptus. Drought, lack of food and poachers exterminate it.

Koalas do not live long, only 18 years old.

Nature took care of the preservation of the species, endowing males with two penises, and females with two vaginas.

• They differ from other animals in that they distinguish colors.
• The polar bear's only enemy is the shark, which lives up to 200 years. Its habitat is Greenland.

Currently, there are 3 types of bears in nature:
- white,
- brown,
- the black.

These species include a large number of small subspecies, and the researchers do not have a consensus on the classification. So, if earlier grizzlies were isolated in separate species, now it is classified as a subspecies of brown bears.

The bear is one of the most dangerous predators genus of mammals.

Habitat

Bears are found in Europe, Asia, North and South Americaas well as in Africa. They can easily adapt to different climatic conditions, and therefore this beast can be found in the steppes, forests, in the highlands and in the ice of the Arctic. Bears live in different parts of the planet also due to the fact that they eat a wide variety of foods, their diet includes meat, fish, berries, herbs, and various roots.

White bears

White, or polar, bears are common in the ice of the Arctic Ocean. However, the seasonal melting and freezing of ice forces them to move to the north or south of the polar edge. In summer, polar bears usually drift on large and small ice floes.

Polar bears are common in Russia, in particular in Central Siberia, Canada, Norway, Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard and Franz Josef Land.

Brown bears

Previously, brown bears, including grizzlies, lived in European forests. However, today they remain only in the woodlands of Russia, Finland, Scandinavia, Romania, Yugoslavia, less often in the forests of Spain, Italy and the Pyrenees. Grizzlies have survived in Canada, Alaska, as well as in western America and on the eastern Pacific coast.

As for Asia, here the brown bear is found on the Japanese island of Hokkaido, in the northern part of China, in Palestine, Iran, Iraq, in the Caucasus, the Far East and on the Korean Peninsula. Brown bears and grizzlies most often choose dense forests bordering on marshlands and water bodies as their habitat.

Black bears

Baribal, otherwise known as the black bear, is found in the eastern United States and Canada. The Himalayan bear lives in the Himalayan mountains, in the northern part of Pakistan, Vietnam, in the southern part of Afghanistan, China, maybe even in Thailand.

The brown bear is large beast of prey... It has a large head with small ears, powerful legs armed with sharp claws, and a short tail. The coat is quite thick, the color can have many shades from light brown to almost black.

The body length of an adult bear varies from one to three meters, and its weight is from 300 to 1000 kilograms. The size and weight of a bear depends on which subspecies it belongs to. The smallest bears live in Europe, while the largest live in Kamchatka, Alaska and Kodiak Island.

Spread

Once the brown bear lived throughout Europe, but now its number has greatly decreased, the animals have survived in the Carpathians, the Alps, in the forest regions of Central Europe and some other areas. The brown bear is found in the forests of Russia and in some Asian countries (China, Japan, Iraq, Iran, Palestine, etc.). In North America, the brown bear is called "grizzly", where it lives in America and Canada.

Mostly bears are forest dwellers. European brown bears prefer to settle in mountain forests, brown bears living in Russia are more common in dense lowland forests, and bears living in North America like the vastness of the tundra.

Food

Despite the fact that brown bears are predators, their diet is very diverse. Most of the menu is of vegetable origin, and only a quarter of the diet is meat. Bears willingly eat nuts, berries, succulent grasses, acorns, large tubers and plant roots. They can visit the fields where they eat corn, oats and other agricultural crops.

Bears also do not refuse small prey, catching frogs, lizards, mice and insects. Many bears fish. Sometimes they can hunt deer, roe deer, fallow deer and other ungulates.

All bears have a sweet tooth. They are very fond of honey from wild bees. And these powerful animals got their name precisely because of their love for honey.

Lifestyle

Bears have a seasonal rhythm of life. In the warm season, they lead an active life, and in the cold autumn they lie in a den. Bears set up a den in hollows under dry broken trees, sometimes hibernate in caves. Hibernation lasts approximately five to six months.

Brown bears are solitary animals. They zealously guard their territory, making special marks on the trees with their claws. A bear that has violated the designated border is immediately driven out of it. Despite the outward clumsiness, brown bears run fast and climb trees well.

Every two to four years, a female bear gives birth to two to five cubs. Cubs are born small, blind and deaf, weighing about half a kilogram and a little more than 20 cm long. They appear in a den in winter, and by spring they grow noticeably. The she-bear brings up the cubs herself. She is a very good mother, she always takes care of her kids and selflessly protects them.

Under natural conditions, brown bears live from 20 to 30 years, and in captivity - up to 50 years.

Brown bear brief information.