Brown bear is one of the largest species of bears on the Earth. Only polar bears are larger than them. Brown bears and polar bears have certain similarities. They share the same habitat. There are hybrid of these two species as polar bears need to roam farther south due to climate change.
You will find at least 13 different subspecies of brown bears in the world. Some species have largely deviated from the normal colors and sizes of the bear. They have a slight hump above the shoulder. They have long curved claws that are used for digging. A bear weighs about 350-1500 pounds. Normally, male brown bears are bigger than females. Brown bears are also called Grizzly bears.
#Where do brown bears live?
You will find brown bears in a diverse range of habitats. The other bear varieties are not capable of surviving in such a large number of various habitats. They love to live in a habitat that is free from humans. The elevation is not a problem for brown bears to select a habitat. They reach more than 16000 feet high the sea level.
Brown bear loves to live in coastal estuaries, mountains, forests, plains, and tundra. Though brown bears show an incredible wide distribution, human activities have directly influenced them. They live mainly in Alaska and Canada. Only a small percentage of the global brown bears exist in the contiguous United States.
Europe is also home to brown bears. They also live in several parts of Asia including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, and North Korea.
#What is the food that brown bear eats?
Brown bears are omnivores as they eat both animals and plants. They either eat or try to eat a large variety of food. The habitat of the brown bear decides their diet. The season and availability of the food also determine the diet of brown bears.
They feed on grasses, small mammals, berries, roots, mushrooms, bulbs, acorns, fish, and insects. Brown bear is good at catching fish. They love to eat earthworms, wasps, ants, clams, moths, larvae, and more.
#Reproduction of the brown bear
Mature female bears give birth to new offspring. They become moms at the age of four to eight years. Brown bears mate with several ale bears. So cubs many litters have different fathers. Male and female brown bears lose interest in each other after the breeding period.
The mating cycle falls from May to early June. Mother bear needs to bear the litter for about 180 to 266 days. Cubs are born during the months of January and March. The cubs are blind from birth. They have a birth weight of one pound. The grizzly bear cubs are capable of climbing trees.
Momma bears care for babies alone. Fathers are not engaging with the family. The gestation period of a brown bear is about eight weeks. Cubs follow moms from two years to five years.
#Behaviors of brown bears
The brown bears search for food early in the morning and late evening. The rest in the daytime. The brown bear makes dens under rocks or in the hollows of trees. They enter into the den or cave between October and December. They stay inside the den until early spring. Brown bears have a protective coat that keeps them warm in cold weather. Actually, brown bears do not herbinate during winter. So they can wake up at any time in the cold season.
Adult brown bear males are more aggressive. They normally avoid meeting one another.
#Can you have a brown bear as a pet?
No. you can’t have a brown bear as a pet. They are kind of wild animals. They are dangerous and aggressive. It is illegal to have a brown bear as a pet.
Actually, it is not good to have a wild animal as a pet. They need freedom like us. As you don’t like to stay in the house for your whole life, wild animals also don’t like to stay inside a cage. So let them in their natural habitats.
#Interesting Facts about Brown Bears
Brown bears are a kind of fearful animal that lives on the Earth. So it is better to keep them away from us. But it does not sound like we want to hurt brown bears to escape from them. They won’t hurt you when you don’t hurt them. These giants also have very interesting stories. You will find some instances where grizzly bears build up friendships with humans. But it is extremely rare. So don’t try to go closer to a brown bear that you accidentally met.
#Brown bears depend more on plant-based food
Though bears are considered omnivores, they depend more on plant-based food. You may have seen documentaries on brown bears hunting salmon or feeding on elk. More than 90% of a bear’s diet contains vegetable matter.
Researchers have found that brown bears who have access to meat are big compared to veg lovers.
#Brown bears are not really brown
The color of the brown bears varies from gold, pale tan, gold, various shades of brown to nearly black, and gray or silver.
#Brown bear has powerful paws
Brown bears have big paws and claws. The curved claws of a matured bear are about four inches long. The foot is about a foot and a half long. Even a single swipe with their paws can cause severe damage to any animal.
#Bears have a good nose
Smell helps bears to find locations. They can sniff for food that is available at a distance of several kilometers. They spend more than 16 hours a day searching for food.
#Threats for the survival of Brown Bear
There are several threats to the survival of brown bears. People hunt humans for sports. Fragmented habitat due to highway concentration, agriculture, plantation forestry, and hydroelectric developments cause severe threats for the lives of brown bears. They attract to the areas with human food.
Global climate changes are a threat to all animals. It is relevant to brown bears too.
