The biggest bears. Where does the brown bear live? How many brown bears are left in the world?

If you ask a foreigner to say three association words about Russia, in most cases they will be bear, matryoshka and balalaika. Some will remember strong alcoholic drinks, earflap hats and extreme cold. But the brown bear is definitely a natural symbol of our country. The image of a bear adorns the coats of arms of many Russian cities: Yekaterinburg, Veliky Novgorod, Norilsk, Yaroslavl and others. The bear is called the “master of the forest,” partly because it is one of the largest land predators. The bear is a symbol of strength and power.

Description and dimensions

What does a brown bear look like? Many saw him in childhood, visiting the zoo or reading illustrated fairy tales, because the “clubfooted bear” is a frequent hero of children's literature. In nature, an adult brown bear is a large predatory animal with a large body. The bear's head is massive, but with small ears and eyes. Compared to polar bears, the brown representatives' heads are not very extended forward. The tail is short and does not stand out, because hidden under fur. The paws are large, powerful, with long claws up to 10 cm.

The fur is thick and long. The fur color of a brown bear ranges from light brown to black. Newborn cubs have light spots on their chest and neck that disappear over time. Brown bears molt once a year, but this process lasts from the beginning of spring to the end of autumn, until the animal goes into a den.


Weight of different individuals brown bears differs depending on the habitat of the animals. The largest predators live in Alaska and Kamchatka. Their weight on average is 500 kg, but there are individuals up to 750 kg. In Europe, the average weight of bears is 300-400 kg, and their length is from 1.2 to 2 meters. Grizzlies (North American brown bears), standing on their hind legs, will stretch out to 2.8-3 meters. Despite their massive size, bears run fast (at speeds of up to 50 km/h), swim well, and in their youth easily climb trees.

Varieties

There are hundreds of varieties of brown bear. The most common are the common brown, grizzly and Kodiak (inhabit the islands of the Kodiak archipelago in Alaska). Subspecies are also known:

  • Siberian brown bear (live in Siberia east of the Yenisei);
  • Gobi brown bear - mazalay (lives in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia; listed in the Red Book because it is endangered);
  • Tien Shan (lives in the Pamir, Tien Shan and Himalaya mountains);
  • Ussuri, or Japanese;
  • Tibetan;
  • Syrian.

Habitat

The habitat of the brown bear in Russia occupies almost the entire forest and forest-tundra zone of the northern part of the country. In Europe the population brown predators found in the Pyrenees, Cantabrian Mountains, Alps and Apennines. The animal also lives in Scandinavia and Finland. In Asia, this type of bear is common in Palestine, Iraq and Iran (in the north of the countries), China and Korea. In Japan, bears live on the island of Hokkaido. And the residents North America Grizzly bears are often seen in Canada, Alaska and the northwestern United States.


Regardless of the continent, brown bears preferably live in forests, tundra, taiga and mountains. Adult males often live alone, while females usually live with cubs. Adult bears like to mark their territory, which reaches up to 400 square meters. km.

Nutrition

The brown bear is a predator, but its diet consists of 70-80% plant foods. He especially likes berries, nuts, acorns, stems and roots of forest plants. Bears love to feast on insects (ants and butterflies), worms, lizards, frogs and various rodents. Clubfoot's tastes include mice, marmots, gophers and chipmunks, but he prefers personally caught fish to all of them. It happens that a bear also eats the carcasses of ungulates: roe deer, fallow deer, elk and deer.


The plot of fairy tales, where a bear eats the contents of honey pots, is not fiction. In general, the etymology of the word “bear” is “knowing where the honey is”, “honey eater”.

Grizzlies living in Alaska also attack wolves, and Far Eastern brown bears hunt tigers. Bears often take prey from other predators. During the period of activity, the animal “eats” up to 200 kg of subcutaneous fat. With the resulting supply, the bear lies down to hibernate in a den.


For dens, bears choose dry holes protected by windbreaks, sometimes they dig a hibernation “house” in the ground or occupy caves and rock crevices. The clubfoot's winter sleep usually lasts from 80 to 200 days. Females with their offspring spend the most time in dens, and older males spend the least amount of time. During hibernation, up to 80 kg of accumulated fat is spent.

Reproduction

The mating season for brown bears begins in May-June. At this time, females go into estrus, which lasts 10-30 days. Males begin to actively select a mate for themselves, accompanying the search with strong roars and fights with other contenders, which sometimes end fatal. During this period, males are very aggressive and dangerous. The established pair stays together for 30-40 days, and if a new one appears nearby who wants to be fertilized, then both the male and the female drive him away.


The female bear's embryo begins to develop with a delay, not earlier than November, and birth occurs in January or February. As a rule, 2-3 bear cubs are born, weighing 0.5-0.7 kg and up to 23 cm tall. Their fur is still short and sparse, their eyes do not see, and their ears do not hear. The cubs' hearing returns to normal only 2 weeks after birth, and their vision – after a month. By spring, babies have a full set of baby teeth and, in addition to mother's milk, they can already eat berries, plants and insects.


By the time they leave the den, the cubs weigh up to 7 kg. Throughout the first year of life, the offspring does not leave the mother. The family will also spend the next hibernation in the den together. By the age of three, the bears will become sexually mature and will finally separate from their parents. And the cubs will become adult males and females at 10-11 years of age.

By the way, the father does not participate in the life of the offspring; all the troubles fall on the bear. The total lifespan of brown bears is up to 30 years in the wild and up to 50 years in captivity.

In the world of man

In children's literature, there are many fairy tales where the bear is one of the main characters: “Masha and the Bear”, “Three Bears”, “Teremok”, “Tops and Roots”. Of course, I remember the foreign, but already so dear, Winnie the Pooh. At the same time, a bear can be both a symbol of strength and power, and a clumsy and slightly stupid character. Nicknames are often invented for the literary bear: Mikhailo Potapych, Kosolapy, Toptygin.


Well-known proverbs and sayings about bears:

  • Make friends with the bear, but hold on to your gun.
  • Without killing the bear, do not sell the skins.
  • The bear stepped on my ear.
  • Two bears will not get along in one den.
  • The bear is clumsy and hefty.
  • The bear has nine songs, and those are about honey.
  • The bear was wrong for killing the cow; The cow that went into the forest is also wrong.

People see bears that live in captivity in the zoo and in the circus. And individuals living in natural natural conditions, often represent a completely different interest for a person. Man has been hunting bears for a long time. The meat is used for food, the skin is used to make carpets, and the gall bladder is used in traditional Asian medicine. In many regions, hunting for brown bears is prohibited or limited by law, because this species is listed as “endangered” in the Red Book.


The opposite also happens when a predator attacks a person. More often this happens:

  • when a female bear seeks to protect her offspring. She shows aggression towards a person, but not with the purpose of killing, and then so that the stranger leaves;
  • when a man caught a bear next to his prey, even if it was the man’s own supplies;
  • when the bears have a prolonged period of lack of food or when the rut is underway(the mating period of animals);
  • Connecting bears also attack people - these are individuals who have not hibernated in a den or have woken up. Feeling very hungry, exhausted animals enter settlements and attack livestock and humans.

In general, the animal itself is afraid of humans and tries to hide. Therefore, during a chance encounter with a bear, it is recommended to make loud noises, knock, honk, etc. There is a high probability that the bear will not dare to approach the source of the noise.

As for the population, there are now about 200 thousand brown bears in the world. The majority live in Russia - 120 thousand, in the United States - 32 thousand (of which 95% are in Alaska), in Canada - 22 thousand. There are about 14 thousand individuals in Europe.

There is a legend in America that bears walk on the roads in Russia. We can agree with this opinion, since in some regions of Russia you can still find a bear wandering into the streets of the city. However, this happens less and less often, there are fewer and fewer bears, and they are also afraid of people and avoid their habitats.

Currently this symbol of Russia is under protection, as its population has decreased significantly and is in danger of extinction.

Where do brown bears live?

Brown bears They are the most common in the vast expanses of Russia; it is not without reason that they are its symbol. However, the territory of Russia is not the only habitat of these beautiful powerful animals. Brown bears are also common in the vastness of Alaska and Canada, in Europe (mountainous regions), and are found in Japan and Asian countries.

The largest representatives of this species live in Kamchatka and Alaska. The weight of an adult male in those areas often reaches more than 700 kilograms, and sometimes exceeds 1000 kilograms.

The smallest representatives of the bear family live in the European part of the Earth, weighing up to 500 kilograms; in Russia there are average specimens weighing about 600 kilograms.

The height of an adult bear, if it stands on its hind legs, sometimes reaches 3 meters, the height at the withers is on average from a meter to one and a half. Males are usually twice the size and weight of females.

The color of a brown bear depends on its habitat and has many shades from golden to silver or black.
Bears prefer to settle in forest thickets, going out into more open areas in search of food.

Dietary features of the brown bear

The bear is not a whimsical animal; to put it simply, it is an omnivore. Most often, the bear eats plant foods: herbs, roots, berries, nuts, and cereals. Bears do not hesitate to feast on insects, larvae or ants; small rodents can also become prey for the owners of the taiga.

In the spring, during the spawning period, you can often see fishing bears. It is extremely rare for bears to hunt larger animals, various representatives of artiodactyls, wolves, and livestock. This happens in hungry years, when it is difficult to find other food.

Features of brown bear reproduction

Bears are essentially solitary animals; bears do not live together. After the mating season, the females take care of the cubs, while the males live their own lives. Mating season for bears it lasts from May to June, accompanied by fierce battles between rivals in the fight for the female. Often one of the males dies, and the winner eats him.

The female usually mates with several males; pregnancy develops after the female goes into hibernation; gestation lasts six to eight months. Bear cubs are born in a den, in the amount of two or three cubs.

At first, the cubs do not see or hear anything, after about 14 days hearing appears and after a month the cubs begin to see. Three months after birth, the babies begin to leave the den. The mother bear feeds her cubs with milk until they reach the age of 1.5-2 years. Bear cubs can live next to their mother for up to four years.

A female bear gives birth approximately once every two years, sometimes once every four years.

Lifespan of a brown bear

Average life expectancy of a brown bear in wildlife reaches 25-35 years, in captivity it happened that bears lived for 50 years.

In general, life expectancy depends on the conditions and habitat of the animal.

Den selection and hibernation

The bear is careful when choosing a place for a den. The place should be quiet, calm, safe. The den is dry, warm, cozy. The bear carefully lines the floor of the den with moss. From the outside it camouflages the home with dry branches. Having found a good den, the bear does not change it for many years.

Getting ready for hibernation, the bear carefully confuses its tracks, to the point of walking backwards. Hibernation lasts from October to April. It is very easy to wake up a hibernating bear, as they continue to remain sensitive, even during sleep. During hibernation, the animal's body temperature decreases, which allows it to preserve energy reserves for a long time. After hibernation, the animal’s weight decreases by 70-80 kilograms.

If the year was hungry, and the bear did not have enough supplies for the entire hibernation period, he may wake up ahead of time and go in search of food. Such bears are called connecting rods. Also, a bear, disturbed in its bedroom, may wake up to look for a new, safer den.

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The bear is the largest predator on earth. This animal belongs to the class mammals, order carnivores, family bears, genus bears ( Ursus). The bear appeared on the planet about 6 million years ago and has always been a symbol of power and strength.

Bear - description, characteristics, structure. What does a bear look like?

Depending on the species, the body length of a predator can vary from 1.2 to 3 meters, and the weight of a bear varies from 40 kg to a ton. The body of these animals is large, stocky, with a thick, short neck and big head. Powerful jaws make it easy to chew both plant and meat foods. The limbs are rather short and slightly curved. Therefore, the bear walks, swaying from side to side, and rests on its entire foot. The speed of a bear in moments of danger can reach 50 km/h. With the help of large and sharp claws, these animals extract food from the ground, tear apart prey and climb trees. Many species of bears are good swimmers. The polar bear has a special membrane between its toes for this purpose. The lifespan of a bear can reach 45 years.

Bears are no different sharp vision and well-developed hearing. This is compensated by an excellent sense of smell. Sometimes animals stand on their hind legs to use their sense of smell to obtain information about their surroundings.

Thick bear fur covering the body has a different color: from reddish-brown to black, white in polar bears or black and white in pandas. Species with dark fur turn gray and gray in old age.

Does a bear have a tail?

Yes, but only the giant panda has a noticeable tail. In other species it is short and almost indistinguishable in the fur.

Types of bears, names and photos

In the bear family, zoologists distinguish 8 species of bears, which are divided into many different subspecies:

  • Brown bear (common bear) (Ursus arctos)

The appearance of a predator of this species is typical for all representatives of the bear family: a powerful body, rather high at the withers, a massive head with rather small ears and eyes, a short, barely noticeable tail, and large paws with very powerful claws. The body of a brown bear is covered with thick fur with brownish, dark gray, and reddish colors, which vary depending on the habitat of the “clubfoot”. Baby bear cubs often have large light tan marks on the chest or neck area, although these marks disappear with age.

The distribution range of the brown bear is wide: it is found in the mountain systems of the Alps and on the Apennine Peninsula, common in Finland and the Carpathians, and feels comfortable in Scandinavia, Asia, China, the northwestern United States and Russian forests.

  • Polar (white) bear (Ursus maritimus)

Is the most major representative family: the length of its body often reaches 3 meters, and its weight can exceed one ton. U Long neck and a slightly flattened head - this distinguishes it from its counterparts of other species. The color of the bear’s fur is from boiling white to slightly yellowish; the hairs are hollow inside, so they give the bear’s “fur coat” excellent thermal insulation properties. The soles of the paws are densely “lined” with tufts of coarse wool, which allows to the polar bear It is easy to move on the ice cover without slipping. There is a membrane between the toes that facilitates the swimming process. The habitat of this bear species is the circumpolar regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

  • Baribal (black bear) (Ursus americanus)

The bear is a little similar to its brown relative, but differs from it in its smaller size and blue-black fur. The length of an adult baribal does not exceed two meters, and female bears are even smaller - their body is usually 1.5 meters long. pointed muzzle, long paws, ending with rather short feet - this is what makes this representative of bears remarkable. By the way, baribals can become black only in the third year of life, receiving a gray or brownish color at birth. The black bear's habitat is vast: from the vastness of Alaska to the territories of Canada and hot Mexico.

  • Malayan bear (biruang) (Helarctos malayanus)

The most “miniature” species among its bear counterparts: its length does not exceed 1.3-1.5 meters, and the height at the withers is slightly more than half a meter. This type of bear has a stocky build, a short, rather wide muzzle with small round ears. The paws of the Malayan bear are high, while the large, long feet with huge claws look a little disproportionate. The body is covered with short and very tough black-brown fur; the animal’s chest is “decorated” with a white-red spot. The Malayan bear lives in the southern regions of China, Thailand and Indonesia.

  • White-breasted (Himalayan) bear (Ursus thibetanus)

Slim physique Himalayan bear not too different large sizes- this representative of the family is two times smaller than its brown relative: the male has a length of 1.5-1.7 meters, while the height at the withers is only 75-80 cm, the females are even smaller. The bear's body, covered with shiny and silky fur of dark brown or black color, is crowned by a head with a pointed muzzle and large round ears. A mandatory “attribute” of the Himalayan bear’s appearance is a spectacular white or yellowish spot on the chest. This type of bear lives in Iran and Afghanistan, is found in the mountainous regions of the Himalayas, in Korea, Vietnam, China and Japan, and feels at ease in the open spaces Khabarovsk Territory and in the south of Yakutia.

  • Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus)

A medium-sized predator - length 1.5-1.8 meters, height at the withers from 70 to 80 cm. The muzzle is short, not too wide. The fur of the spectacled bear is shaggy, has a black or black-brown tint, and there are always white-yellow rings around the eyes, smoothly turning into a whitish “collar” of fur on the animal’s neck. The habitat of this type of bear is the country South America: Colombia and Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, Venezuela and Panama.

  • Gubach (Melursus ursinus)

A predator with a body length of up to 1.8 meters, height at the withers varies from 65 to 90 centimeters, females are approximately 30% smaller than males in both respects. The body of the sloth fish is massive, the head is large, with a flat forehead and an overly elongated muzzle, which ends in mobile, completely hairless, protruding lips. The bear's fur is long, usually black or dirty brown in color, and in the area of ​​the animal's neck it often forms something like a shaggy mane. The sloth bear's chest has a light spot. The habitat of this type of bear is India, some areas of Pakistan, Bhutan, the territory of Bangladesh and Nepal.

  • Big panda (bamboo bear) ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

This type of bear has a massive, squat body, which is covered with dense, thick fur. black and white color. The paws are short, thick, with sharp claws and completely hairless pads: this allows pandas to firmly hold smooth and slippery bamboo stems. The structure of the front paws of these bears is very unusually developed: five ordinary fingers are complemented by a large sixth, although it is not a real finger, but a modified bone. Such amazing paws enable the panda to easily handle the thinnest bamboo shoots. The bamboo bear lives in the mountainous regions of China, especially large populations live in Tibet and Sichuan.

Brown bears are very strong and beautiful, and are rightfully considered a symbol of our country. Appearance This large animal impresses with both its power and grandeur. Currently, this animal is the largest land predator in the world.

Its lifespan in nature is estimated at 30 years. In captivity, the predator can live up to 50 years. Linguists believe that the name of this beast is made up of two words - “knowing” and “honey”. And this is understandable: despite being a predator, the bear is a big fan of sweet honey and, in general, an omnivore.

Description of appearance features

What is the weight of a brown bear? The weight and height of the animal depends on its habitat. On average, the mass of an individual can vary from three hundred to six hundred kilograms, and its length from one and a half to two meters.

However, bears that live in central Russia are slightly smaller than their counterparts and weigh about one hundred twenty kilograms. Grizzlies and Far Eastern bears are considered the largest.

The record holder in this area was a bear found on Kodiak Island: its mass reached one thousand and one hundred thirty-four kilograms. Closer to hibernation, in the fall, the animal gains about twenty percent fat of its total mass. Usually males are much larger than females approximately twice.

Body type of brown bears very powerful, with a rather massive head. The animal is quite high at the withers, the ears are very small, as is the tail, the length of which is about two centimeters. And on the large paws there are very long and strong claws, ten centimeters long, which help the animal hunt and cut up prey.

The bear's body is covered with thick, evenly colored, slightly stiff and, undoubtedly, very beautiful fur, and what color it will have depends on reddish, dark brown or dark gray, depends on the region where the predator lives. Bear offspring have light spots on the chest or neck, however, they gradually disappear with age.

When bears move, like people, they tend to shift the weight of their entire body weight onto one paw, which is why these predators are classified as plantigrade animals. And also bears periodically change their fur coat, and the first time this happens is immediately after the first hibernation. It should be noted that the very first molt is more intense than all subsequent ones. In the fall, before hibernation, this process proceeds more sluggishly and slowly.

Where does the brown bear live?

Bears inhabit a fairly wide area. If we talk about the European part, these animals can be found in areas such as the Alps, Apennines, Pyrenees, and the Scandinavian Peninsula.

One of the places most populated by brown bears is this is Finland. Rarely, they are found in the central forests of the European part and in the Carpathians.

In the Asian part, the range of bears is separate territories Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Japan, Korea and even China. In Russia, bears can be found in almost all forests, in addition to those located closer to the south.

The North American continent is almost completely populated by these predators. More individuals live in Canada, Alaska and the islands adjacent to it.

Lifestyle

How and where does a bear live? Bears are uncohesive animals; they are solitary and only come together during the breeding season. They do not have a shelter to which they will return again and again, in other words, a permanent place of residence.

They drive wandering lifestyle, because their main goal is to search for food. However, if the territory is quite rich in various living creatures and other food for bears, then they still prefer not to linger on it, but also do not go too far, so that if something happens, they can return to where they definitely have everything they need for a comfortable existence .

Bears prefer dense and deep thickets and forests, next to which there are any bodies of water. Looking at this huge and powerful predator, it is difficult to imagine what dexterity it has, however, it is so. Bears are skilled hunters. IN at a young age They easily climb trees of various heights, and their talent for swimming develops from childhood and remains until the end of their lives.

Most often, bears prefer to rest during the day, but in the late afternoon, at night, they wake up and start hunting. Most brown bears hibernate during the cold season, but some of them lead a very active lifestyle in winter.

How long do bears live? Everything again directly depends on the region in which they live. The lifespan in nature, that is, the natural habitat, varies from twenty to thirty-five years. But in the case when the animal is kept in captivity, this number becomes much more significant, because, if you trust the statistics, many bears in various zoos, where they are provided with the necessary care, reach the age of five decades!

What and how does a predator eat

Despite the fact that the brown bear is a predator, most His daily diet consists of food of plant origin. These animals do not disdain insects, including various larvae. And as everyone knows, he loves to eat honey.

Animals that are too large are not often the prey of predators, but small animals he eats with great pleasure. A strong bear paw can break a spine in one blow young moose or deer, as well as roe deer, fallow deer and mountain goats. Sometimes even wild boars are the prey of these predators.

It should be noted that bears are wonderful fishermen, which is why the presence of a reservoir in the territory inhabited by them is so important. In total, the bear's daily diet is as follows:

  • wild berries, such as blueberries or raspberries;
  • oats and corn;
  • fish, such as trout;
  • mice;
  • hens, chicks and eggs;
  • tubers, nuts, acorns.

Times can sometimes be quite difficult when searching for food is a difficult task. However, the bear is saved by one of its main advantages - omnivorousness and unpretentiousness. Thanks to them, and not just their strength and power, they are able to survive even in the harshest conditions.

Interestingly, clubfooted animals are very thrifty animals. They skillfully hide uneaten food, disguising it under many branches.

Types of brown bears

The brown bear family includes more than one subspecies. Let's look at the most common of them.

Reproduction of brown bears

After the predators feel completely rested and full of strength, the mating period begins, which usually begins in late spring, in May, and lasts about a month.

It's interesting that at this time females tend to mark territory. Males find their chosen ones by special smells and try to protect them from rivals.

Sometimes a serious dispute breaks out about who will get the bear. In this case, the battle is literally life and death. Winners sometimes even eat their dead rivals.

Conservation status: Least endangered species.
Listed in the IUCN Red List

Few animals capture the human imagination as much as the brown bear. They are priority inhabitants of the animal world, which are so necessary to preserve. Given their dependence on large territorial areas, brown bears are an important part of the control of a number of other animals.

The brown bear is one of the largest predators among animals. On average, adult males are 8-10% larger than females, but sizes vary depending on the species' habitat. Brown bears feed in the morning and evening, and during the daytime they prefer to rest under dense vegetation. Depending on the time of year, brown bears can travel hundreds of kilometers to search for food.

Hibernation

Hibernation lasts from October-December to March-May. In some southern regions, the duration of hibernation is very short or completely absent. The brown bear chooses a place for itself, for example, a hole, which is located on a protected slope under a large stone or among the roots big tree. The same hibernation sites can be used for many years.

Dimensions

The brown bear, not the largest among the bear family, takes the lead. However, this species can reach enormous sizes - males weigh about 350-450 kilograms, and females average 200 kilograms. There are individuals whose mass exceeds half a ton.

Color

Although the coat is usually dark brown, other colors are also found - from cream to almost black. Color depends on habitat. In the Rocky Mountains (USA), brown bears have long hair on their shoulders and back.

Habitats

Brown bears live in a variety of habitats from the edges of deserts to high mountain forests and ice fields. In Europe, brown bears are found on mountain forest areas, in Siberia their main habitat is forests, and in North America they prefer alpine meadows and coast. The main requirement for this species is the presence of dense vegetation in which a brown bear can find shelter during the daytime.

Life cycle

Newborn bears are vulnerable because they are born blind, without hair, and weighing only 340-680 grams. The cubs grow very quickly and reach 25 kilograms at 6 months. The lactation period lasts 18-30 months. The cubs usually remain with their mother until their third or fourth year of life. Despite the fact that sexual maturity occurs at 4-6 years, the brown bear continues to grow and develop until 10-11 years. In the wild they can live from 20 to 30 years, but despite this life expectancy, most die at an early age.

Reproduction

Mating in brown bears occurs on warm months(May-July). Pregnancy lasts 180-266 days, and the birth of cubs occurs in January-March; as a rule, at this time the females are in hibernation. Usually 2-3 cubs are born from one female. The next offspring can be expected in 2-4 years.

Nutrition

Brown bears are omnivores, and their diet varies depending on the time of year - from grass in the spring, berries and apples in the summer, to nuts and plums in the fall. Throughout the year, they feed on roots, insects, mammals (including moose and wapiti from the Canadian Rockies), reptiles and, of course, honey. In Alaska, during the summer, bears feed on salmon going to spawn.

Population and distribution

The total population of brown bears on the planet is about 200,000 individuals, while Russia is home to greatest number– close to 100,000 individuals.

Scientists believe 8,000 brown bears live in the area Western Europe(Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, Romania). There are also suggestions that the species can be found in Palestine, Eastern Siberia and Himalayan regions. Possible habitats are considered to be the Atlas Mountains in northwestern Africa and the island of Hokkaido, located in Japan.

Brown bears are still quite common in the mountainous regions of western Canada and Alaska, where their numbers can reach 30,000 individuals. There are fewer than 1,000 brown bears left in other parts of the United States.

Historical distribution

Previously, the brown bear was distributed throughout Northern and Central Europe, Asia, the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and Algeria, and the western part of North America south to Mexico. Before the arrival of European settlers, the species lived on the Great Plains of North America. Populations from the Sierra Nevada and southern Rocky Mountains were extirpated, and those remaining in northern Mexico died in the 1960s. In the early 1900s, there were approximately 100,000 individuals in the United States.

Main threats

Brown bears are hunted as big hunting trophies, as well as for obtaining meat and skins. Bear gall bladders have a high value in the Asian market, as they are popularly believed to have aphrodisiac properties. Meaning useful properties Products obtained from bear body parts do not have medical support, but the demand for them is growing every year.

Other major threats include habitat destruction and persecution. These problems affect the brown bear population to varying degrees, but extend across the entire habitat.

For example, currently, brown bears can be found in only 2% of the previously inhabited territory. Forestry, mining, road construction and other human activities have contributed to the decline in bear numbers due to extermination natural environment a habitat.

In some countries, human-bear conflict occurs, which creates a number of problems, especially in areas where the brown bear encounters livestock, gardens, water supplies and garbage cans.

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