There are three species of bear native to North America. Most quite a few North American bears. The most common is the American black bear, adopted by the brown bear after which the polar bear. Found all through Canada, the USA, and Mexico. Weighs 200 to 600 pounds. Can be darkish or gentle brown (cinnamon), sometimes even white. Not all the time black in colour. 900,000 and never threatened. 📍Location: The American black bear will be found all through Canada, the USA, and Mexico. However, some subspecies such as the Louisiana black bear are protected under the U.S. 📏 Size: Adults weigh 200 to 600 pounds and are 5 to six ft in length. 👀 Options: Most black bears are black, but their fur can range from darkish brown to lighter brown (cinnamon) and even white on uncommon events. They have pointed ears and a straight face. Of all of the bear species black bears are some of one of the best at climbing bushes. Their comparatively smaller measurement and shorter claws make them fast and nimble to climb timber for safety, meals, and even hibernation. Nearly all of their food plan is vegetarian consisting of berries, plant shoots, and nuts. 🌱 Diet: Their diversified diet offers them the ability to reside in a big vary of habitats. Additionally they eat insects, fish, and carrion. 😱 Dangerous? They are the most probably bear to be encountered in the backcountry. And yes, they love honey. The grizzly and Kodiak are the 2 subspecies of brown bears in North America. Most widespread bear species are found within the northern Rocky Mountains, Alaska, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Brown bears are the most widespread of all bear species, found in the northern Rocky Mountains, Alaska, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Grizzlies are accountable for almost all bear attacks in North America, with 46 per year. Although their conservation status is “least concern”, their spread-out nature and decreased habitat make lots of the small remaining pockets fragile. The 200,000 brown bears of the world occupy a large variety of habitats spanning deserts, forests, and mountains. All brown bears share a large build, a dish-formed face, and a shoulder hump. Their hair is lighter at the information, which led to the title of probably the most well-known subspecies, grizzly. Brown bears forage on roots, berries, insects, and fish, and a few even hunt young mammals corresponding to elk and moose. Their shade varies from gentle blonde to dark brown. The two subspecies in North America are the grizzly and Kodiak. 📍Location: Grizzly bears are found in the northern USA, Canada, and Alaska. 📏 Size: Adults weigh four hundred to 790 pounds, are 6.5 ft long, and have a shoulder top of 3.3 feet. 🌱 Weight-reduction plan: Grizzlies eat berries, nuts, salmon and have been known to prey on massive mammals. Coastal grizzlies tend to be bigger than these discovered within the Rocky Mountains resulting from a richer eating regimen. Every year there are forty six attacks and 6 deaths. 😱 Harmful? Recognized for their aggressive behavior, grizzlies are accountable for probably the most bear assaults in North America. 📍Location: Kodiak bears are only found on the Kodiak Islands, an archipelago in southwestern Alaska. 📏 Measurement: Kodiak bears are almost as massive as polar bears, weighing 600 to 1,400 pounds, 8 feet lengthy, and 4 feet tall at the shoulder. 🌱 Food plan: Their eating regimen is just like mainland grizzly bears. Nonetheless, resulting from extra plentiful food sources, the islands can help a denser bear population. Geographic isolation from the mainland allowed the 3,500 Kodiak bears to grow to be their very own subspecies. This has led to a more complex social construction which ends up in less conflict between bears. 😱 Harmful? Like grizzlies, Kodiak bears could be aggressive. As a consequence of their isolation, there is only one attack on humans each other yr. Largest species of bear on the planet weighing between 800 and 1,300 pounds. Weight loss plan is generally made up of meat, typically from seals. 📍Location: Polar bears are the largest bears and largest land carnivores on the planet. Fur seems white but is actually clear. The world’s 20,000 to 30,000 polar bears range in the snow-covered arctic ice in Alaska, Canada, Russia, and Norway. 📏 Size: Adult polar bears are 800 to 1,300 pounds and may be 7 to 10 feet tall. They're a threatened species on account of lack of habitat from climate change. Regardless of their monumental size polar bears may be quick, sustaining a 6 mph pace within the water. 👀 Options: Compared to other bears, polar bears have a slimmer body, narrow head, longer neck, and paddle-like paws. For context, swimmer Michael Phelps gained Olympic gold medals with a 4.7 mph pace! 🌱 Diet: Their food regimen consists mostly of animals, particularly seals which they will smell from a mile away. Though bts with teddy bear they seem white, their fur is actually clear and their skin is black. 😱 Harmful? Polar bears may be extremely harmful. They see humans as potential prey. Attacks are rare as a result of remote nature of their habitat. Recognized for its cream color chest blazes. At 300 pounds one of the smaller bears. Easy to tame and sometimes widespread in circuses. 📍Location: The Asian black bear is found in forests and shrublands throughout Asia from Iran to Japan. The population is estimated at 40,000 to 50,000 and is considered weak. 📏 Size: One of the smaller species, adults weigh round 300 pounds and stand 47 to 75 inches tall. 🌱 Weight loss plan: Relying on the season it commonly feeds on small mammals, birds, fish, mollusks and carcasses or grasses, fruits, berries, seeds, insects, and honey. Attacks on humans are growing as people encroach on their habitat. 😱 Harmful? They are one in every of the best bears to tame (and subsequently common in circuses), however Asian black bears are extra aggressive than their North American counterparts. Found solely in China. 99% of its weight-reduction plan is bamboo. In reality, the second person in historical past to receive a facial transplant was mauled by an Asian black bear while defending his sheep. Known for its iconic white face, eye patches, and striped body. 📍Location: Pandas are discovered only in China. Solely 1,500 to 2,000 remain within the wild and they're thought of a susceptible species. 📏 Dimension: Pandas weigh round 300 pounds and can be over 4 toes tall, an impressive feat contemplating they weigh solely about 3.5 ounces at birth. It additionally has a detailed cousin, the Qinling panda which has the same sample in light brown and white. 🌱 Food regimen: Not like different bears the panda’s eating regimen is homogeneous; 99% of what they eat is bamboo. 👀 Features: The large panda is iconic for its white face, black eye patches, and striped physique. All that fibrous bamboo keeps them regular: they poop over 40 occasions a day! 😱 Dangerous? Assaults are uncommon but harmful, given that pandas have one in all the highest chew forces of any carnivore. Smallest Bear weighing 55 to 143 pounds. Found in South East Asia. 8 to 10-inch long tongue for slurping up insects and honey. 📍Location: The Sun bear is found in the forest and shrubland of South East Asia and India. It's the least studied bear and. Its population is unsure however thought-about susceptible and on the decline attributable to loss of habitat and poaching. Solar bears are hunted for his or her gallbladders and different physique components utilized in traditional medicines. 📏 Dimension: They stand solely 39 to fifty five inches and weigh fifty five to 143 pounds making them the smallest bear. 👀 Features: Sun bears have strongly curved claws, small rounded ears, and a brief snout. They are named for his or her pale, horseshoe-formed chest patch that looks like a rising sun. In addition they eat seeds, fruit, birds, and deer. 🌱 Food plan: Solar bears tear apart bushes and nests to eat ants, bees, beetles, termites, and honey. Their love of honey has given them the nickname “honey bears.” In fact, they've an extremely long tongue (8-10 inches) for slurping up insects and honey. Native to South Asia. 😱 Harmful? Attributable to its shy nature, assaults are uncommon. Lengthy, shaggy fur and mane gave them the name sloth bear. Sloth bears are feared by rhinos and elephants. 📍Location: The Sloth bear is discovered in the low elevation savanna and shrubland of India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. With a declining inhabitants of lower than 20,000, they are thought-about weak. 📏 Size: They're 55 to 75 inches long and weigh 200 to 300 pounds. 👀 Options: With their lengthy shaggy fur and mane, they're straightforward to inform other than different Asiatic bears. In reality, they're very quick and might out-gallop humans. European explorers mistook them for sloths after seeing them hanging the other way up from timber. They're noisy, messy eaters tearing up termite mounds with their large curved claws. 🌱 Eating regimen: Their diet consists of termites, ants, and fruit. 😱 Dangerous? They're one of the aggressive bears, with the most assaults on people, largely as a consequence of shock encounters. They blow the dust around with huge puffs and suck the ants up so loudly they are often heard 600 toes away. Sloth bears stand their ground if threatened and don't combine properly with rhinos and elephants, often charging at each other when in proximity. Solely South American bear. World’s final short-faced bear. The identify “spectacled” comes from the lighter markings round their eyes that appear like glasses. This weak species of 13,000 to 18,000 remaining bears are found in the cloud forests of the Andes from Argentina to Ecuador. 📏 Size: They are mid-sized, weighing 175 to 275 pounds, and standing 47 to 79 inches tall. 📍Location: The spectacled bear is the world’s last quick-faced bear and the one bear native to South America. 👀 Features: The name “spectacled” comes from the lighter markings round their eyes that generally look like glasses. They spend most of their time in bushes the place they build nest platforms, sleep and jealously guard valuable fruit and carcasses. 🌱 Eating regimen: Spectacled bears are mostly herbivores with a weight loss plan consisting of mostly cactus, bromeliad, palm hearts, and fruit, however they are going to opportunistically eat mammals like rabbits and tapirs. 😱 Dangerous? Living in remote mountains, these shy bears stands out as the least harmful of all bear species. Their our bodies are smaller than polar bears however larger than grizzlies. The Grolar bear (aka Pizzly) is a uncommon hybrid of a polar bear and a grizzly bear that occurs in each nature and captivity. Grolar bear behavior is closer to the polar bear. They feature the long necks of polar bears and the shoulder humps of grizzlies. In captivity, they've been documented stomping toys, just like how polar bears break ice. Black-brown hybrid bears have been bred in captivity, notably on the London Zoo in 1859, but haven't been confirmed in the wild. In 1986, a suspected grizzly-brown hybrid was shot but DNA tests had been unable to find out what kind of bear it was. Adorable koalas are usually not bears, they are burly marsupials. Water bears aren’t bears either, they're indestructible, microscopic animals that may survive in house. Most bear attacks happen when a bear is startled or protecting their cubs. Red pandas? They’re in their very own family which are nearer cousins with skunks and raccoons than bears. 1. BEWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS. Watch for bear scat and bear tracks which will indicate a bear is close by, through which case you need to be additional vigilant. Listed here are a couple of ideas you should use to prevent bear encounters and keep you and your hiking buddies safe. 2. MAKE NOISE. This helps bears know you are here so they do not by accident startle them. Consider attaching a bear bell to your pack. 3. KEEP YOUR DISTANCE. Whereas you'll have great intentions, a bear is more likely to really feel threatened when it sees you approaching and defend itself. 3. Secure YOUR SCENTED Objects (AT CAMP). In case you see a bear, don't attempt to method or feed it. This includes food, but in addition your toiletries, for example. Whichever method you choose, be sure it's a minimum of 200 ft away from your tent so you don't entice bears to your campsite. 4. Stay CALM. Should you meet a bear, don't run. Attempt to make your self look as massive as doable, waving your arms above your head. You may also extend a jacket above your head to make your self look larger. Lock these items in a bear canister or use a bear bag to cling them up in a tree. Do not scream or attempt to scare the bear. 5. USE BEAR SPRAY (AS A final RESORT). Speak to it calmly and slowly back away. Full instruction on how to make use of bear spray right here. If the bear is dangerously close (30 ft) or is charging at you, pull out your bear spray and use it in 1-2 second bursts, aiming slightly downward. 6. Combat Back. If all else fails and a bear assaults you, don't play lifeless. Which bear is the most important? Averaging 900-1500 lbs, 8.0 to 8.Four ft lengthy, and 4.0 to 5.25 feet tall, the most important bear by both measurement and weight is the polar bear. The most important ever recorded was 2,200 lbs. Struggle back with all of your strength and hope that it'll again down. Which bear is the most harmful? All bears are dangerous if provoked. Globally, the Asian black bear is thought for probably the most attacks. When in bear country, it’s always sensible to hold bear spray. It’s properly deserved, particularly when cubs are round. Annually there are roughly 46 grizzly attacks, 6 leading to loss of life. In North America, grizzly bears have the most fearsome popularity. Which bear is the strongest? While you’re most likely to see an American black bear, on average there is only one attack per year. In terms of raw chew power, measured in Newtons, the polar bear's chew reigns supreme. All bears are sturdy and to not be messed with. When using the chunk power quotient (chunk energy relative to size), the solar bear packs essentially the most punch. Originally named “Hotfoot Teddy”, Smokey Bear was a black bear cub discovered in the spring of 1950 after a wildfire in New Mexico. He had climbed a tree to escape the fireplace however sustained burns on his paws and hind legs. Soon after he turned an icon and to this day is the star of the longest-working public service announcement campaign. Yogi Bear is an animated bear known for his love of “pic-a-nic” baskets. More importantly Yogi Bear has impressed numerous via-hikers to try and grasp the art of “yogi-ing”, the act of not quite begging but receiving favors from strangers. Baloo s a sloth bear, though he has some characteristics of the Asian black bear. He is an easygoing, pleasant bear who lives a duty-free lifestyle. He additionally could be the first bear to obtain his pilot’s license. Earlier than he was the storybook teddy bear, Winnie the Pooh was a black bear from Canada which the author’s son typically would visit at the London Zoo. Winnie is brief for “Winnipeg,” the city in Canada close to the place he was from. Chris additionally wrote The way to Hike the Appalachian Trail. Equal components backpacking meals and ultralight gear. After thru-hiking the Appalachian Path, Chris Cage created Greenbelly to supply quick, filling and balanced meals to backpackers. Get epic tips, guides and the way-to's in your inbox every two weeks.