Brown bears are very strong and beautiful, and considered to be a symbol of our country. The appearance of this large animal is impressive and his power, and grandeur. Currently, this animal is the largest land predator in the world.
The lifespan in nature is estimated in 30 years. In captivity, the predator can live up to 50 years. Linguists believe that the name of this animal is composed of two words – “knowing” and “honey”. And this is understandable: despite their affiliation to the predators, bear is a big fan of sweet honey and, in General, omnivorous animals.
Features description of the appearance
What is the weight of a brown bear? Weight and growth of the animal depends on its habitat. The average weight of individuals can vary from three hundred to six hundred pounds, and the length is from half to two meters.
However, bears that live in Central Russia slightly smaller than their cousins and weigh about a hundred and twenty pounds. Considered to be the largest grizzly and the far East.
The record in this area was a bear, found on Kodiak island: its weight has reached one thousand and one hundred and thirty four kilograms. Closer to hibernation, autumn, animal, gaining about twenty percent fat of the total weight. Usually, many males are larger than females by about two times.
Physique brown bears are very powerful, with a rather massive head. The animal is quite high at the withers, ears very little, like the tail, whose length is about two inches. While large paws very long and strong claws the length of ten inches, which helps the animal to hunt and butcher prey.
Bear’s body is covered with thick, evenly colored, a little tight and, of course, very beautiful hair, and what colors it will have, whether reddish, dark brown or dark gray, depending on the region, inhabited by a predator. At bear offspring, there are bright spots in the chest or neck, however, with age, they gradually disappear.
When the bears move, then, like people, they tend to move the whole weight of the body weight on one foot, so these predators are referred to plantigrade animals. And bears periodically change their coat, and for the first time this occurs after the first hibernation. It should be noted that the first molt is most intense, than all subsequent. In the autumn, before hibernation, this process is more sluggish and slow.
Where the lives of a brown bear
Bears inhabit a fairly extensive territory. If to speak about the European part, these animals can be found in such places as the Alps, the Apennines, the Pyrenees, and the Scandinavian Peninsula.
One of the most populated brown bears place – Finland. Rarely, but they occur in the Central forests of the European part and in the Carpathians.
In the Asian part of areal bears is a separate Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Japan, Korea and even China. In Russia bear can be found in almost all forests other than those that are closer to the South.
The North American continent almost completely populated by these predators. A greater number of individuals living in Canada, Alaska and the adjoining Islands.
Lifestyle
How and where bear lives? Bears are fragile animals, they are solitary and meet each other only during the breeding season. They have no shelter to which they will return again and again, in other words, permanent residence.
They lead a nomadic life, because their main goal is the search for food. However, if the area is quite rich in different animals and other food for the bears, they still prefer not to dwell on it, but not go too far, in which case, it was possible to go back exactly where there is everything necessary for a comfortable existence.
Bears prefer thick and deep thickets and forests, which are located next to any water bodies. Looking at this huge and powerful predator, it is difficult to imagine what skill he has, however, it is. Bears are skilled hunters. At a young age they can easily climb on trees of different heights, and the talent they develop from childhood until the end of life.
Most often, the bears prefer to relax, and towards the evening, at night, they awaken and begin to hunt. Most brown bears hibernate for the cold season, but some of them lead a very active lifestyle and winter.
How many bears live? It all depends on the region in which they live. Life in nature, that is, their natural habitat varies from twenty to thirty-five years. But in the case when the animal is kept in captivity, then it becomes many more significant, because, if to trust statistics, many bears in various zoos where they provide the necessary care reach the age of five decades!
How the predator feeds
Despite the fact that brown bear is a predator, a big part of his daily diet is the food of plant origin. Do not disdain these animals and insects, including various larvae. And as we all know, loves to eat honey.
Too large animals infrequently become the prey of a predator, but small animals he eats with great pleasure. Strong bear’s paw is able, with one blow to break the back of a young moose or deer and the ROE deer, fallow deer and mountain goats. Sometimes the prey of these predators are even wild boars.
It should be noted that bears are excellent fishermen, so the presence of the reservoir on the territory inhabited by them is so important.
In total the daily diet of the bear as follows:
- berries, e.g., blueberries or raspberries;
- oats and corn;
- honey;
- fish, e.g. trout;
- mouse;
- chicken, Chicks and eggs;
- tubers, nuts, acorns.
Times can sometimes be quite difficult, when finding food is tricky. However, bear save some of its main advantages is omnivorous and unpretentious. Thanks to them, not only for their strength and power, they are able to survive even in the harshest conditions.
It is interesting that the bear is a very Thrifty animals. Uneaten food they skillfully hide it, masking it under a lot of twigs.
Types of brown bears
A family of brown bears includes one subspecies.
Consider the most common of them.
- European brown quite large: at the withers can reach up to one meter and ten centimeters, and body weight ranges from two hundred to three hundred pounds. Color of this subspecies can be as light gray with a yellow undertone and very dark.
- Caucasian European a little less described above, their length varies from one meter seventy to two meters and fifty centimeters, and the weight is about two hundred and fifty pounds.
- Amur distributed on the territory of our country under the name of grizzly. Very large specimens weighing four hundred and fifty pounds. Their fur is almost completely black, and one of the most interesting features of the structure, especially long and thick hair on ears.
Reproduction of brown bears
Once the predators will feel completely rested and full of energy, comes mating season, which usually begins in late spring, in may, and its duration is about a month.
Interestingly, at this time, females tend to mark territory. Special scents males find their chosen and trying to defend against rivals.
Sometimes, it inflames a serious dispute about who will get the bear. In this case, the battle is literally life and death. Winners sometimes even eat their dead opponents.