The bears have evolved from a common ancestor with cats, dogs, seals or weasels 55 million years ago. We can find bears in almost all parts of the world, each of them adapted to its environment These adaptations are what make one species of bear different from another. The color of the coat, the color of the skin, the thickness, the thickness and the length of the hair make them better adapted to the environment in which they live, in order to regulate their body temperature or camouflage themselves with their environment.
Currently, there are eight species of bears, although these species are subdivided into many subspecies. In this article on our site, we will see how many types of bears there are and their characteristics.
Sun Bear
The sun bears, also known as sun bears (Helarctos malayanus) inhabit the warm areas of Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam or Borneo, although their populations have decreased alarmingly in recent years due to the disappearance of their natural habitat and the use that Chinese medicine attributes to the bile of this animal..
It is the smallest species of bear that exists, males weigh between 30 and 70 kilograms and females between 20 and 40 kilograms. Its fur is black and very short, adapted to the warm climate where it lives. They have an orange spot on their chest in the shape of a horseshoe.
Their diet is based on the consumption of nuts and fruits, although they will eat anything within their reach, such as small mammals or reptiles. They can also consume honey whenever they find it. To do this they have a very long tongue, with which they will get the honey out of the hives.
They do not have a breeding season, so they can reproduce throughout the year. Also, sun bears do not hibernate. After copulation, the male will stay with the female to help her find food and a nest for future offspring, when they are born the male can stay or go. Once the pups are separated from their mother, the male will leave or go back to copulate with the female.
Lipped Bear
Los lipped bears or sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) They live in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. The population that existed in Bangladesh has become extinct. They can live in several different habitats such as tropical wet and dry forests, savannahs, scrublands, and grasslands. They avoid places highly disturbed by humans.
They are characterized by having long, straight, black hair, very different from other bear species. It has a very long snout with prominent and mobile lips. They have a white "V"-shaped spot on their chest They can weigh 180 kilograms
Its diet falls somewhere between insectivorous and frugivorous Insects such as termites and ants can account for more than 80% of food, although when it is the fruiting season of the plants, the fruit will account for between 70 and 90% of the bear's food.
They reproduce between May and July, the females give birth to one or two cubs between the months of November and January. During the first nine months the young will be carried on her mother's back and will remain with her for one to two and a half years.
Spectacle Bear
The spectacled bears (Tremarctos ornatus) live in South America and are endemic to the Tropical Andes. Specifically, they can be found in the countries of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru.
The main characteristic of these animals is, without a doubt, the white spots around their eyes These spots also extend over the snout and neck. The rest of the fur is black. Its skin is thinner than that of other species of bears, due to the hot climate where it lives.
They can live in a wide variety of ecosystems throughout the tropical Andes, including tropical dry forests, tropical humid lowlands, montane forests, tropical dry and humid shrublands, and tropical high altitude shrublands and grassland
Like most bears, the spectacled bear is an omnivorous animal, its diet is based on very fibrous and hard vegetation, such as palm and bromeliad branches and leaves. They may also eat mammals such as rabbits or mountain tapirs, but mostly farmyard animals. When the season comes when the plants are in fruit, the bears supplement their diet with a wide variety of tropical fruits
Not much is known about the reproduction of these animals in the wild. In captivity, females behave as seasonal polyestrous. There is a mating peak between the months of March and October. Litter size varies from one to four pups, with twins being the most common.
Grizzly
The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is found throughout much of the northern hemisphere, Europe, Asia, and the western United States. United States, Alaska and Canada. Being such a widespread species, many of the populations are considered subspecies, with about 12 different ones
An example is the Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi) that inhabits the Kodiak Archipelago in Alaska. The types of bears in Spain are reduced to the European species, Ursus arctos arctos, which is found from the north of the Iberian Peninsula to Scandinavia and Russia.
Brown bears are not only brown, they can also be black or creamThe size varies according to the subspecies, between 90 and 550 kilograms In the upper weight range we find the Kodiak bear and in the lower one the European bear.
Occupy a wide variety of habitats, from dry Asian steppes to arctic scrub and humid temperate forest. Living in a greater diversity of habitats than any other species of bear, they also exploit a wide variety of foods. In the United States, they are more carnivorous as we get closer to the North Pole, where more ungulates live and can find salmon. In Europe and Asia they have a more omnivorous diet.
Reproduction occurs between April and July, but the fertilized egg does not implant in the uterus until the fall. The pups, one to three, are born in January or February, when the mother is hibernating. They will be with her for two or four years.
Asian black bear
The population of the Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus) is in recession. This animal inhabits southern Iran, the more mountainous regions of northern Pakistan and Afghanistan, the southern side of the Himalayas through India, Nepal, and Bhutan, and mainland Southeast Asia, extending south into Myanmar and Thailand.
They are black with a small white crescent-shaped spot on the chestThe skin around the neck is thicker than in the rest of the body and the hair in this area is longer, giving the sensation of having long hair. It is medium in size, between 65 and 150 kilograms
They live in many different types of forests, both in broadleaf and coniferous forests, near sea level or above 4,000 meters of altitude.
They have a very varied feed and seasonal. In spring its diet is based on stems, leaves and green shoots. In summer they eat a wide variety of insects such as ants that can be searching for 7 or 8 hours and bees, also fruits. In autumn, their preference shifts to acorns, walnuts and chestnuts They also feed on ungulates and cattle
They reproduce in June and July, they give birth between November and March, depending on the conditions of the environment, the fertilized egg will implant sooner or later. They have about two cubs that will stay with the mother for two years.
American black bear
The American black bear (Ursus americanus) is extinct in most of the United States and Mexico, currently inhabitingCanada and Alaska , where the population is increasing. It mainly lives in temperate and boreal forests, but also extends to subtropical areas of Florida and Mexico, as well as the subarctic. They can live near sea level or at more than 3,500 meters of altitude.
Despite its name, the American black bear can have another coloration of its fur, something more brownish and even white spots. They can weigh between 40 kilograms (females) and 250 kilograms (males). They have a much stockier build than other bear species and a larger head.
It is a generalist and opportunistic omnivore, it will eat anything it finds. Depending on the season they will eat one thing or another, grasses, leaves, stems, seeds, fruit, garbage, cattle, wild mammals or bird eggs. Bears have historically fed on American chestnuts (Castanea dentata) in the fall, but after a blight in the 20th century decreased the tree population, bears began eating oak acorns and walnuts.
The breeding season begins in late spring, but the cubs won't hatch until the mother is hibernating, just like other bear species.
Giant panda bear
In the past, populations of panda bear (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) were spread throughout China, but has now been relegated to the western edge of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Thanks to the efforts invested in its conservation, it seems that this species is growing again, so the giant panda is not in danger of extinction.
The panda bear is the most different bear. It is believed to have been isolated for more than 3 million years, so the divergence in appearanceThis bear has a very rounded white head with the ears and the outline of the eyes are black, the rest of the body is also black, except for the part of the back and the belly.
As for the habitat of the panda bear, we should know that they live in temperate forests in the mountains of China, at an altitude of between 1,200 and 3,300 meters. In these forests bamboo abounds, which is their main and practically only food. Panda bears change places periodically, following the rhythm of bamboo growth.
They reproduce from March to May, the pregnancy lasts between 95 and 160 days and the offspring (one or two) spend a year and a half or two with their mother until they become independent.
Polar Bear
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) evolved from the brown bear35 million years ago. This animal lives in arctic regions and its body is fully adapted to the icy climate.
His hair, translucent because it is hollow, is full of air, which works as an excellent insulator. In addition, it creates a white visual effect, perfect for camouflaging itself in the snow and being able to confuse its prey. His skin is black, an important feature, as this color facilitates the absorption of heat.
Regarding the feeding of the polar bear, we must know that we are dealing with one of the most carnivorous bears. Their diet is based on several species of seal such as the ringed seal (Phoca hispida) or the bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus).
Polar bears are the animals that reproduce the least. They have their first children at an age between 5 and 8 years. They usually give birth to two young that will spend about two years with the mother.
Is the polar bear in danger of extinction? Discover it also on our site!
