Brown Bear
There are eight different species of bears
found throughout the world:
the spectacled bear, the Asiatic black bear, the
brown bear (including
grizzlies), the polar bear, the sun bear, the American
black bear, the sloth
bear and the giant panda. Even though most people can
distinguish a polar bear
from a brown bear by the color of the fur, a lot of
people fail to identify all
the differences among those two species. Both
bears can be perceived as large,
clumsy and lumbering beasts with heavily
built bodies but short legs, necks and
tails. Both of them have rounded ears
and noticeably small eyes relative to
their large body size. While both of
the bears belong to same family, they have
several profound differences. They
live in different geographical areas, differ
in amount of the population,
size, physical features, some eating habits, and
their behavior toward human
beings. The polar bear is found in all of the polar
regions of the entire
northern hemisphere. This includes Russia, Norway,
Greenland, The United
States and Canada. Their preferred habitat is in the area
where the northern
seas meet the shoreline. In this area, there is a constant
freezing and
thawing of the ice. It is estimated that there are currently
somewhere
between 20,000 and 40,000 polar bears. The polar bear is the largest
member
of the bear family, weighing in at between 440 and 1760 pounds with
overall
body length 11.5 feet. It can grow much larger, however. In fact, there
is a
record of an adult polar bear weighing over 2200 pounds. Polar bears have
a
distinctive all white fur, which is important camouflage when hunting on
the ice
pack. Their actual color of the skin is black, which is thought to be
an
adaptation for better heat retention. Compared to the other bears, the
neck of
polar bear is much longer. This makes it easier for them to keep
their heads
above water when swimming. Like those of other bears, the ears of
the polar bear
are round. They are, however, smaller and closer to the head.
This also helps
the animal to be an exceptional swimmer. The forepaws on a
polar bear are very
large. With a diameter approaching 12 inches and partial
webbing between their
toes, polar bears are able to use their front feet much
like paddles to propel
them rapidly through the water. Polar bears are
excellent swimmers. They are
able to swim distances greater than 60 miles
without a pause to rest,
maintaining average speed of 6 miles per hour. On
land, they are not as quick as
brown bears and appear to have traded off
speed for their extremely massive
forelegs, which they use to break through
seal dens and to flip a large seal out
of the water. Polar bears have also
developed large stomachs with a capacity of
more than 150 pounds of food.
Their digestive system is also more adapted for
processing meat than plant
material because they are almost exclusively meat
eaters. While out on the
ice, their diet consists mostly of marine mammals such
as the ringed seals,
bearded seals and occasionally a walrus or narwhal. Also,
in keeping with
their carnivorous nature, the canine teeth, used for seizing and
holding
prey, are longer, sharper and spaced wider apart than in brown
bears.
Polar bear are at the top of the arctic food chain with no natural
enemies.
Because of that, compared to other bears, polar bears are the
most aggressive
and more willing to consider humans as a prey. In other
words, when they see a
human, they see a walking meal. Consequently the
person attacked is usually
killed unless the bear is killed first. The most
carnivorous, they are also the
most patient and determined all of bears. In
some instances they may follow a
person for hundreds of miles in order to
hunt him down. Out of eight species
polar bear is considered to be the most
dangerous to human beings. The brown
bear has the most widespread
distribution in the world of any of the eight bear
species. They are found
throughout most of the northern hemisphere including
North America and
Eurasia. Their preferred habitat includes mountain forests,
open meadows and
large river valleys. It is estimated that there are currently
somewhere
between 125,000 to 150,000 brown bears throughout the world. The brown
bear
is one largest bear species, yet considerably smaller than the polar
bear.
It weighs between 300 and 860 and can be up to 9.5 feet in total
body length
depending on the availability of food. Brown bears can run and
climb with
considerable skill, speed and dexterity. They are able to attain
speeds of 35
mile per hour for a short distance. They are also capable
swimmers. The brown
bear distinguishes itself from other bears by virtue of
its shoulder hump, which
is caused by muscles which are used for digging. The
front claws are
approximately 1.7 times longer than the rear claws and
generally visible even
from distance. The color of the animal varies from a
light creamy color to
almost black. Brown bears are omnivorous, eating a
mixed diet of grasses,
fruits, bulbs and roots, insects, fish and small
animals. In few areas there are
known to be predators of larger animals such
as caribou and moose. Each of the
brown bears has a different temperament
rather like humans. Some will attack,
others will not. Some bears are scared
of humans, others will have a have
natural curiosity. Brown bears may be very
dangerous. However, most of the time
a they more likely to attack when
defending cubs or territory. A stalking brown
bear is even a more rare
occasion. Even though polar and brown bears have a lot
in common they differ
in many ways such as amount of population, size, areas of
living, physical
characteristics and attitudes towards people. Scientists have
studied these
magnificent animals for many years, but there is still much to
learn about
them. They are very complex and fascinating creatures that deserve
great
respect.