Q Which is the largest of all
bear species?
A The polar bear is not only the
largest of all bears, but also the largest
carnivore on land. Found in the Arctic
regions, polar bears can grow to a
length of 2 metres (7 feet) and can
weigh up to a massive 800 kilograms
(1,760 pounds). They have creamy white fur
that blends in with the ice. Polar bears are
excellent swimmers and move quickly on land
and in water. They prefer to eat meat, and
their diet mainly consists of seals and young
walruses. During the summer when ice floes
(sheets of ice) melt and food is scarce, polar
bears feed on berries and bird eggs.
Bears
Bears can be found in a wide range of habitats, including
mountains and Arctic regions. There are eight species of bear –
the spectacled bear, the sun bear, the giant panda, the Asiatic
black bear, the American black bear, the brown bear, the sloth
bear and the polar bear.
The Living Planet
Q Do the eight species of bear
have any common features?
A All species are fairly
similar, although there
are slight differences in
size and diet. Bears have
stocky bodies, powerful limbs,
thick fur and a short tail. They
have elongated heads, rounded ears
and long snouts. They have a keen
sense of hearing and smell.
All bears, except the polar bear,
are omnivorous. Their varied diet
includes roots, nuts, fruit, berries,
honey, caterpillars and ants. Bear
teeth are small, and are mainly
used for defence or as tools. The
molar teeth are broad and flat,
suitable for shredding and
grinding fruit, nuts and berries.
Q Do bears have claws like cats?
A Bears have four limbs with
paws. Each paw has five long,
sharp claws. Unlike cats, bears
cannot retract their claws. They
use them to climb trees, open
termite nests and beehives, dig for roots,
and catch prey. All bears have long,
shaggy fur. The colour of
fur varies from
species to species.
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Ferocious grizzly
The brown bear, known as the grizzly bear in
North America, is a ferocious predator. When
threatened or during a fight for a mate,
grizzlies stand up on their hind legs and
use their long-clawed forepaws to fight.
Great swimmers
Polar bears are
excellent swimmers
and spend almost
as much time in
water as they
do on land.
Sharp claws
Bears have pads on their
feet to help them walk
and sharp, curved claws.
Quick Q’s:
1. How do you know
when a bear is angry?
When threatened or
agitated, bears stand
up on their hind legs.
They probably do this
to appear larger to
their enemies. They
also use their clawed
paws to slash at
an attacker.
2. How does the giant
panda spend most of
its day?
The giant panda bear
eats about 18 kilograms
(40 pounds) of
bamboo leaves and
stems or about 40
kilograms (85 pounds)
of bamboo shoots each
day. It spends up to
14 hours just eating.
3. What is special about
the Kermode bear?
The Kermode bear is a
type of American black
bear. It inhabits the
rainforests of British
Columbia, Canada.
The Kermode bear is
the only black bear to
have a white coat.
4. Which is the smallest
bear in the world?
Sun bears are the
smallest of all bear
species. Even so,
they grow up to 1.5
metres (5 feet) in
length and weigh up
to 66 kilograms
(146 pounds).
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