Bear

The brown bear is the most widespread of all bears, occurring in Europe, Asia and North America, and in habitats ranging from Arctic tundra to dry deserts. In Europe, the species is mainly confined to deciduous, coniferous and mixed montane woodlands.

The length of the brown bear varies from one meter to three meters. Adult males weight is from 140-320 kg and the females 100-200 kg. The brown bear is omnivorous but mainly vegetarian, and during the summer and early autumn, berries form the basis of the bears diet. They do also eat plant roots, leaves, honey, dead animals, food remains, fish, ants, larvas, small mammals such as mice, elks, reindeer and cattle. Especially in spring and early summer when other food is scarce they eat meat. Summer and autumn their main food is berries.

The brown bear female gets mature as five years ols and there is an interval of two to four years between litters. After a gestation period of 180 to 266 days, one to four cubs are born. The cubs are born in the winter nest in January-February and follow their mother until next spring. The bear is in hibernate about 6 months. during that period they do not eat but stay alive on the fat depoty that they gathered in the autumn. They may go down in wight during theri hiberante period as much as 50%. In nature the brown bear gets 20 to 30 years old.

Human is the worst enimy of the bear. The bear needs a large area in looking for food, avoiding humans and in finding a nesting place. Bear fat, brain, back bones and especially the gall are used in the traditional medicine of china which has led to larger poaching of bears in Russia.