Throughout North America - from northern Alaska,across Canada to northern Mexico and
southern Florida.
Bears eat grass when they emerge from their dens after hibernation - this is supposedly
to start the alimentary system functioning normally again.
Pregnancy:
The fertilized eggs become tiny embryos and undergo the initial divisions common to mammals,
but they do not then attach to the uterine wall immediately. Each embryo floats free in the uteris
until autumn when it becomes implanted in the uterine wall.
When the cubs are born during denning, the mother is barely aware of it due to deep hibernating
sleep and the small size of the cubs.The cubs wriggle their own way to the mother's nipples and start
nursing.
South America, including Venezuela,Columbia,Ecuador,Peru,Bolivia and Chile.
Bears are reputed to be nearsighted but they do in fact have keen eyes.
They rely more heavily though on their sense of smell and their sharp hearing.
All Arctic nations from USA,Canada,Greenland,Norway to Russia.
Now found only in Burma,Thailand,Cambodia,Laos,Vietnam,Borneo,
and the Indonesian Island of Sumatra.
Distribution:
Numbers:
Approximately 600,000
Threats:
Gall bladder market, poaching, habitat loss and hunting.
INTERESTING FACT:
BROWN BEAR: (Ursus arctos)
Distribution:
North America, across Europe and through Asia to Japan.
Numbers:
Approximately 150,000
Threats:
Widespread habitat destruction, hunted for sport, game and gall bladders.
Used as dancing bears in Asia and Europe.
INTERESTING FACT:
Cubs are born approximately 6 months from conception to birth. A process called 'Delayed
Implantation' occurs after conception which delays the actual gestation to ensure that the cubs
are born at a time during hibernation when they have the greatest chance of survival.
SLOTH BEAR: (Melursus ursinus)
Distribution:
Only found in dry forests of India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Numbers:
Unknown - but believed to be
less than 10,000 in the world
Threats:
Destruction of forest habitat,
hunted for gall bladders, poached for dancing bears.
General Interest:
The Sloth bear has no front teeth and a
'tubular' shaped mouth ,with hollowed-out palate, for sucking termites and other insects out
of their tunnels.Termites and honey are their favourite food.
SPECTACLED BEAR: (Tremarctos ornatus)
Distribution:
Numbers:
3,000 to 6,000.
Threats:
Destruction of natural habitat, hunting and the gall bladder market.
General Interest:
The Spectacled bear is so named
because of its facial markings, which sometimes circle the eyes, but mostly these markings are
variable.
INTERESTING FACT:
POLAR BEAR: (Ursus maritimus)
Distribution:
Numbers:
Around 25,000 in the wild.
Threats:
Oil spillage and exploitation in their habitat.
General Interest:
Polar bears eat mainly seals (ringed and
bearded) as well as eggs,rodents and berries in the summer thaw.
INTERESTING FACT:
Polar bears have an incredible resistance to the cold due to:
ASIATIC BEAR: (Ursus thibetanus)
Distribution:
Found throughout Asia: Pakistan,China,Japan,Taiwan,Laos,Thailand,
Vietnam and Burma.
Numbers:
Estimated at 50,000 , but unknown.
Threats:
The gall bladder trade and habitat
destruction.
SUN BEAR: (Helarctos malayanus)
Distribution:
Numbers:
Least known of all bear species.
Remaining numbers may be under 10,000.
Threats:
Large scale habitat destruction
by logging industry. Poached as exotic pets and killed for their gall bladder.
General Interest:
Sun bears have long,sharp,sickle-shaped
claws for climbing trees and tearing out insect nests to reach grubs or honey.
Photographs: