Bears (Black, Brown & Grizzly)

Introduction:
Bears are large mammals, with seven living species. Common characteristics of modern bears include a large body with stocky legs, a long snout that provides for an excellent sense of smell, shaggy hair, paws with five non-retractile claws, a short tail, small round ears, and forward facing eyes. For the most part, bears are shy and are easily frightened of humans. However, some of the larger species, such as the grizzly bear, can be dangerous to humans, especially in areas where they have become used to people.

Location:
Bears are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern Hemisphere and partially in the Southern Hemisphere. Brown bears have been found in diverse places as Europe, Japan, North Asia, the western Canadian provinces, and the states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska. They are also found in a great number of different habitats including the plains, in the forests, the tundra, and in subalpine mountain areas. Bears use shelters such as caves and burrows as their dens, which are occupied by most species during the winter for a long period of sleep similar to hibernation. The home ranges of bears often overlap.

Size:
The average male black bear weighs between 125 - 500 lbs (57 - 227 kg), while females generally weigh between 90 - 300 lbs (41 - 136 kg). Brown bear males can weigh anywhere from 300 - 860 lbs (136 - 390 kg), with the females coming in somewhere between 205 - 455 lbs (93 - 206 kg). The island grizzlies of Alaska (Kodiak and Admiralty) are considered the largest land carnivores in the world. The inland animals are smaller by some 30%.

Food:
Bears have a wide and varied diet. They can and will eat nearly anything. Typical of bears, they are fond of honey, but also consume plant matter such as sedges, grasses, bulbs, seeds, berries, and roots. They will also eat insects, fish, and small mammals. Some of these bears have even developed predatory practices on large animals, including moose, caribou, and elk. Alaskan brown bears feed heavily on migrating salmon. They tend to cache food and return to it later.

Life Cycle:
The bear's courtship period is very brief. Bears reproduce seasonally, usually after a period of inactivity similar to hibernation. Cubs are born toothless, blind, and bald. The cubs of brown bears, usually born in litters of 1 – 3, will typically stay with the mother for two full seasons. They feed on their mother's milk through the duration of their relationship with their mother, although as the cubs continue to grow, nursing becomes less frequent and learn to begin hunting with the mother. They will remain with the mother for approximately three years, until she enters the next cycle of estrus and drives the cubs off. Bears will reach sexual maturity in five to seven years. Bears are generally solitary creatures and will not stay close together for long periods of time. Exceptions have been regularly observed; siblings recently on their own and sub-adult bears of similar age and status will spend a significant amount of time in informal social groups. Black and brown bears can live between 21 - 33 years.

Interesting Facts:
· Marine mammals (pinnipeds) are the bear's closest living relatives.
· The brown bear distinguishes itself from other bears by virtue of its shoulder hump, which is caused by muscles used for digging.
· Brown bears have a wider distribution than any of the other bears, and can be found throughout the world.
· Black Bears are not always black. They can be black, brown, and occasionally blonde or even white. Some black bears have a white chest patch.
· Brown bears can double their weight between emerging from their dens in the Spring and returning in the Fall.
· The name "grizzly" comes from the "grizzling" of its fur, which gives it a lighter colour at the tips of hairs.
· Despite their heavy build and awkward gait, they can run quickly - up to 48 km (30 miles) per hour - and are adept climbers and swimmers.
· Bears have excellent long-term memory.
· While grizzly bear mothers can be dangerous, no human deaths are known from black bear mothers defending cubs.

Population & Predators:
Natural predators of black bears include other black bears, grizzly bears and the American alligator. Coyotes and cougars may prey on cubs. Predators of the grizzly bear include wolf packs, and other bears. However, nearly all of adult bears die from human-related causes. Most are eventually shot and many are killed by vehicles. The average age of death in unprotected populations is three to five years of age. Bears less than 17 months old sometimes die from starvation, predation, falls from trees, getting hit by vehicles, and other accidental causes. Very few bears die of disease. The World Conservation Union lists six bear species as vulnerable or endangered, and even "least concern" species such as the brown bear are at risk of annihilation in certain countries. The poaching and international trade of these most threatened populations is prohibited, but still ongoing.

Help Protect Their Environment:
· Support and respect laws that have been passed, in many areas of the world, to protect bears from hunters or habitat destruction.
· Do not litter, leave garbage, pet food, or meat scraps outdoors.
· Thoroughly clean outdoor grills after use.
· Keep garbage inside until garbage pick-up day.
· Pick all ripe fruit off trees, and remove vegetables and fallen fruit from the ground.
· Educate yourself. The bears’ future depends on how well we understand and tolerate them.