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Genus/Species:
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Ailuropoda melanoleuca (giant panda)
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Tremarctos oratus (spectacled bear)
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Ursus malayanus (sun bear)
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Melursus ursinus (sloth bear)
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Ursus thibetanus (Asiatic black bear)
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Ursus americanus (American black bear)
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Ursus arctos (brown bear)
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Ursus maritimus (polar bear)
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Conservation concerns
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Endangered in some parts of the world due to illegal hunting and habitat destruction.
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Range
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North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.
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Habitat
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Mountain, forest, and arctic wilderness.
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Size
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Brown bears and polar bears are the largest bears, some growing to a length of 2 m (7 ft) or more and weighing 800 kg (1,760 lb). Sun bears are the smallest type of bear, growing about 1.5 m (5 ft) in length and weighing no more than 66 kg (146 lb).
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Feeding Habits
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Bears are classified as carnivores, or meat eaters, although different species vary widely in their feeding habits. Polar bears feed largely on seals, while other bears are generally omnivorous, eating plants, fruits, nuts, insects, fish, birds, and small to large mammals.
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Offspring
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Females give birth to litters of one to three cubs after a gestation of seven to nine months, depending on the species.
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Did You Know
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Bears have a keen sense of smell that is seven times more powerful than that of dogs.
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Bears have an excellent memory that helps them return from afar to an abundant food location year after year.
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After bears mate, the bear embryo undergoes delayed implantation, in which it halts development and becomes inactive for as long as six months before implanting in the mother's uterus.
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Bear attacks are extremely rare and most result when a human surprises a bear, provoking it to respond defensively.
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