3. The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is a large bear with the widest distribution of any bear species. Brown bears are said to be almost human-like in their capabilities and sensibilities. There are approximately 200,000 brown bears left in the world. Bears that climb, such as black bears, have claws that are curved and strong to allow them to claw at tree bark. As winter approaches, brown bears—often called grizzly bears—prepare for a long hibernation. One thing all brown bears around the world have in common is a hump of muscle on their back between the shoulders. The oldest brown bear in captivity have been verified to live up to 47 years, with one captive male possibly attaining 50 years of age. Brown bears have long, thick fur, with a moderately long mane at the back of the neck which varies somewhat across the races. 3. Stone Age hunter gatherers knew they had to kill bears for food and for their skin/fur to clothe them and keep them warm, but every time they killed a bear, they sang, danced and chanted over its body in the hope that the bear would forgive them in their next life. Brown bears (Ursus arctos) are some of the world's largest terrestrial meat-eating mammals. 2. The brown bear and the polar bear descended from a common ancestor. They are found in the forests and mountains of northern North America, Europe, and Asia. Their diet varies with the season – from grass and shoots in the spring to berries and apples in the summer, nuts and plums in autumn. Although they cannot walk far, the Native Americans prize them and refer to them by the special name of The Beast that Walks Like a Man. She generally lays down two to three offspring, and breeds again 2 to 4 years later. Superstitious people in medieval times thought that saying the ferocious animal’s name would summon it, so they used a euphemism that meant “the brown one” (“bear”) … The original word was never recorded, so it remains a mystery. All year round they eat roots, insects, mammals, fish, reptiles, and of course, honey. Brown bears can be dangerous to humans, particularly if surprised or if a person gets between a mother bear and her cubs. The main controversy surrounds bear farms in China which keep as many as 8,000 bears in captivity at any one time. Your email address will not be published. Even today, doctors look to bears and their hibernation cycles for clues to help patients through medical trauma. While bears hibernate, they manage to turn all the waste material their bodies produce into usable proteins to keep them sustained. Once bears have mated, they will go their separate ways. Many people would simply not have been able to do this, but he laid down on the floor and played dead. Most brown bears (in fact, most of the entire species of bear as a whole) have 42 teeth. While the brown bear’s range has shrunk and it has faced local extinctions, it remains listed as a least concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). While we enjoy salmon and trout, brown bears also eat a lot of berries, roots, grass, fruits, nuts, and small animals. Source: Media Source 4. There are 16 subspecies of brown bears including grizzly bears and Kodiak bears. The next of our brilliant brown bear facts tells us about their hibernation. But there are three specific places you will find the largest brown bears. When Brown Bears Hibernate, they Don’t Toilet! In human terms, the fastest athlete in the world at the moment is Usain Bolt. Depending where they live, they may be attacked by tigers or other bears. In 2008, a Canadian Man Survived a Brown Bear Attack. Brown bears have pile driver strength and 4-inch claws. Brown bears are omnivores, which means they eat just about anything. Most brown bears are not highly carnivorous, as they derive up to 90% of their dietary food energy from vegetable matter. Brown bears can be found in many habitats, from the fringes of deserts to high mountain forests and ice fields. They may reach 5 to 6 centimeters (2.0 to 2.4 in) and may measure 7 to 10 centimeters (2.8 to 3.9 in) along the curve. The next in our series of brilliant brown bear facts tells us a little about their senses. These animals had a love/hate relationship with the humans who walked the earth during these times. In North America their appearance and fur color varies depending on facts such as habitat, diet, season, etc. Nearly all of the grizzly Bears in the United States that survive past age two are shot by humans, mainly for body parts. 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