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Ursidae - Bears

 

Classification

 Kingdom: Animalia
 Phylum: Chordata
 Class: Mammalia
 Order: Carnivora
 Family: Ursidae

Brown BearThere are 8 species of bears in this family. They are found in all parts of the world, except Antarctica and Australia. Bears are found in a wide variety of habitats including deserts, grasslands, tundra, forests, mountains, and ice floes.

Bears are large animals and have small, rounded ears; pointed snouts; small eyes; and short tails. Most bears have long, shaggy brown, black, or white fur. Males are larger than females. Bears have large paws with five strong claws that they use for digging, climbing, and catching their prey. Bears can stand and walk on their hind legs. Many species can climb trees and swim.

Bears are omnivores. They eat fruit, berries, seeds, small mammals, birds, eggs, fish, insects, reptiles, amphibians, and carrion. The polar bear eats mostly meat and hunts seals. The panda eats mostly bamboo, but also eats insects and carrion. The sloth bear eats mostly termites and ants. 

Except for mothers and their young, bears are solitary and live and hunt alone.

World Status Key
Least ConcernLeast Concern Near ThreatenedNear Threatened VulnerableVulnerable EndangeredEndangered Critically EndangeredCritically Endangered extinct in the wildExtinct in Wild extinctExtinct Not Enough DataNot Enough Data
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist.

U.S. Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in US Endangered in US Endangered in US Introduced Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife. Click on U.S. status icon to go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife species profile.
  New Hampshire Status Key
Threatened in New Hampshire Threatened in NH Endangered in NH Endangered in NH Breeds in NH Breeds in NH (birds)
Status taken from NH Fish and Game

Location Key
Africa Africa Asia Asia Australia Australia/Oceania Europe Europe North America North America South America South America New Hampshire Species NH More Info Click for More Info picture Click for Image

New Hampshire Species

 

 North/Central American Species

American Black Bear - Ursus americanus Least Concern North America New Hampshire Species image More Info

 

Brown Bear - Ursus arctos Least Concern Asia Europe North America image More Info
Polar Bear - Ursus maritimus Vulnerable Threatened in US Asia Europe North America image More Info

  Other Species Around the World

Giant Panda - Ailuropoda melanoleuca Vulnerable Asia image More Info
Sun Bear - Helarctos malayanus Vulnerable Asia image More Info
Sloth Bear - Melursus ursinus Vulnerable Asia image More Info
 

Spectacled Bear -Tremarctos ornatus Vulnerable South America image More Info
Asiatic Black Bear - Ursus thibetanus Vulnerable Asia image More Info

Additional Information

Key: profile Profile Photos Photos Video Video Audio Audio

American Black Bear - Ursus americanus profile Photos Least Concern North America New Hampshire Species
The American black bear is the smallest North American bear.

Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

American Black Bear - Ursus americanus profile Photos Least Concern North America New Hampshire Species
Except for during the mating season and when raising young, the black bear is a solitary animal.

Source: USDA Forest Service Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No

American Black Bear - Ursus americanus profile Photos Least Concern North America New Hampshire Species
Most black bears hibernate for up to seven months.

Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

American Black Bear - Ursus americanus profile Photos Video Least Concern North America New Hampshire Species
Despite their name, black bears can also be a variety of shades of brown or even silver-gray or white. 

Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Brown Bear - Ursus arctos profile Photos Least Concern Asia Europe North America
The brown bear is also known as the grizzly bear. Some brown bears have fur that is tipped in a lighter color than the rest of its fur. This gives the fur a grizzled look and is how the bear got the name grizzly bear.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Brown Bear - Ursus arctos profile Photos Video Least Concern Asia Europe North America
The brown bear's range circles the Arctic. It is found from the Arctic coast down into central parts of Europe and Asia. In North America, it is found in Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Washington as well as western Canada.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Brown Bear - Ursus arctos profile Photos Least Concern Asia Europe North America
Brown bears are solitary.

Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Brown Bear - Ursus arctos profile Photos Least Concern Asia Europe North America
Brown bears can run at speeds of up to 35 mph.

Source: PBS Nature Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Polar Bear - Ursus maritimus profile Photos Vulnerable Threatened in US Asia Europe North America
The polar bear is found around the North Pole. It is found in Greenland and the far northern areas of North America, Europe, and Asia.

Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Polar Bear - Ursus maritimus profile Photos Video Vulnerable Threatened in US Asia Europe North America
The polar bear is the largest living land carnivore.

Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Polar Bear - Ursus maritimus profile Photos Vulnerable Threatened in US Asia Europe North America
Most of the polar bear's diet is made up of  ringed seals.

Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Giant Panda - Ailuropoda melanoleuca profile Photos Vulnerable Asia
The giant panda is found in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces in central China.

Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Giant Panda - Ailuropoda melanoleuca profile Photos Video Vulnerable Asia
Except for mating season and when raising young, giant pandas are solitary.

Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Giant Panda - Ailuropoda melanoleuca profile Photos Video Vulnerable Asia
Giant pandas eat 20 to 40 pounds of bamboo each day.

Source: Smithsonian National Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Sun Bear - Helarctos malayanus profile Photos Vulnerable Asia
The sun bear is also known as the Malayan sun bear. It is native to Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Sun Bear - Helarctos malayanus profile Photos Video Vulnerable Asia
The sun bear is the smallest member of the bear family.

Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Sloth Bear - Melursus ursinus profile Photos Vulnerable Asia
The sloth bear is found in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Sloth Bear - Melursus ursinus profile Photos Vulnerable Asia
Most of the sloth bear's diet consists of termites and ants.

Source: Smithsonian National Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Sloth Bear - Melursus ursinus profile Photos Video Vulnerable Asia
The sloth bear has a long, shaggy coat.

Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Spectacled Bear - Tremarctos ornatus profile Photos Vulnerable South America
The spectacled bear is found in the Andes in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Spectacled Bear - Tremarctos ornatus profile Photos Video Vulnerable South America
The spectacled bear is the only bear species found in South America.

Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Spectacled Bear - Tremarctos ornatus profile Photos Vulnerable South America
The spectacled bear is also known as the Andean bear.

Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Asiatic Black Bear - Ursus thibetanus profile Photos Vulnerable Asia
The Asiatic black bear is native to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Iran, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Asiatic Black Bear - Ursus thibetanus profile Photos Video Vulnerable Asia
The Asiatic black bear is also know as the moon bear because of the crescent-shaped ruff of cream colored fur on its chest.

Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes