Bear Fossil range: Early Miocene - Recent
Brown bear at the Pyrenees Animal Park. The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23 The French Pyrenees is a large mountain range which is part of the following départements ' from east to west Pyrénées-Orientales, Aude, Ariège
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Suborder: Caniformia Superfamily: Ursoidea Family: Ursidae G. Fischer de Waldheim, 1817
Genera
Ailuropoda Helarctos Melursus Ursus Tremarctos Agriarctos † Amphicticeps † Amphicynodon † Arctodus † Cephalogale † Indarctos † Parictis † Plionarctos † Ursavus † Kolponomos †

Bears (family Ursidae) are mammals in the order Carnivora. Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands The diverse order Carnivora (kɑrˈnɪvərə or sometimes /ˌkɑrnɪˈvɔərə/ from Latin carō (stem carn-) "flesh" + vorāre Caniformia, or Canoidea (literally " dog-like " are a Suborder within the order Carnivora. Johann Gotthelf Fischer von Waldheim ( Grigorij Ivanovitsch Fischer von Waldheim in Russian) ( October 13, 1771 &ndash October 18, Ailuropoda is an ursid Genus containing five species of giant pandas. The Sun Bear ( Helarctos malayanus) is a Bear found primarily in the Tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. The Sloth Bear ( Melursus ursinus) also known as the Lip Bear, Though originally classed as a "bear sloth" due to the shape of its claws Ursus is a Genus in the family Ursidae ( Bears that includes the widely distributed Brown bears the Polar bear, and The Spectacled Bear ( Tremarctos ornatus) also known as the Andean Bear and locally as ukuko, jukumari or ucumari, is the closest In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. Arctodus simus, also known as the giant short-faced bear is an extinct species of Bear. In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. Cephalogale was a small bear-like carnivore the size of Dog, or Cat of the family Hemicyonidae. In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. Parictis is the earliest genus of Bear known It was a very small and graceful ursid with a skull only 7 cm long In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. Kolponomos is an Extinct Genus of marine Bears which existed from the Hemingfordian age to the Aquitanian In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. In Biological classification, family ( Latin Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands This article is about the taxonomic rank for the sequence of species in a taxonomic list see Taxonomic order In scientific classification used The diverse order Carnivora (kɑrˈnɪvərə or sometimes /ˌkɑrnɪˈvɔərə/ from Latin carō (stem carn-) "flesh" + vorāre Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Caniformia, or Canoidea (literally " dog-like " are a Suborder within the order Carnivora. Pinnipeds ("fin-feet" lit "winged feet" or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semi-aquatic marine Mammals comprising Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern Hemisphere and partially in the Southern Hemisphere. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. A habitat (which is Latin for "it inhabits" is an Ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular Species. Northern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is North of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' Southern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is South of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' That which pertains to bears is called ursine.

Common characteristics of modern bears include a large body with stocky legs, a long snout, shaggy hair, plantigrade paws with five nonretractile claws, and a short tail. In Mammals, plantigrade locomotion means walking with the podials and Metatarsals flat on the ground While the polar bear is mostly carnivorous and the giant panda feeds almost entirely on bamboo, the remaining six species are omnivorous, with largely varied diets including both plants and animals. The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) is a Bear native to the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas The Giant Panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca, "black-and-white cat-foot" is a Mammal classified in the Bear family ( Ursidae) native to Bamboo is a group of Woody perennial Evergreen Plants in the True grass family Poaceae, subfamily

With the exceptions of courting individuals and mothers with their young, bears are typically solitary animals. In Biology, mating is the pairing of opposite- Sex or hermaphroditic Organisms for copulation and in Social animals also to raise their They are sometimes diurnal, but are usually active during the night (nocturnal) or twilight (crepuscular). In Animal behavior, diurnality indicates an Animal that is active during the Daytime and rests during the Night. As an Animal behavior, nocturnality describes sleeping during the Daytime and being active at Night - the opposite of the diurnal Crepuscular is a term used to describe animals that are primarily active during Twilight, hence at Dawn and at Dusk. Bears are aided by an excellent sense of smell, and despite their heavy build and awkward gait, they can run quickly and are adept climbers and swimmers. Olfaction (also known as olfactics or smell) refers to the Sense of smell. Bears use shelters such as caves and burrows as their dens, which are occupied by most species during the winter for a long period of sleep similar to hibernation. For the ability of certain operating systems see Hibernate (OS feature Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression

Bears have been hunted since prehistoric times for their meat and fur. Stone Age Paleolithic See also Paleolithic, Recent African Origin, Early Homo sapiens, Early human migrations "Paleolithic" To this day, they play a prominent role in the arts, mythology, and other cultural aspects of various human societies. The arts is a broad subdivision of Culture, composed of many expressive disciplines. The word mythology (from the Greek grc μυθολογία mythología, meaning "a story-telling a legendary lore" In modern times, the bear's existence has been pressured through the encroachment of their habitats and the illegal trade of bears and bear parts, including the Asian bile bear market. A bile bear or battery bear is the term used for Asiatic black bears kept in captivity in Vietnam and China so that Bile may be extracted from them for sale as a The IUCN lists six bear species as vulnerable or endangered, and even "least concern" species such as the brown bear are at risk of extirpation in certain countries. A vulnerable species is a Species which is likely to become endangered unless the circumstances threatening its survival and reproduction improve An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation Least Concern ( LC) is an IUCN category assigned to extant species or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category The Brown Bear ( Ursus arctos) is an Omnivorous Mammal of the family Ursidae, distributed across much of northern Eurasia and Local extinction is where a Species (or other Taxon) ceases to exist in the chosen area of study but still exists elsewhere The poaching and international trade of these most threatened populations is prohibited, but still ongoing.

Contents 1 Biology 1.1 Reproduction 1.2 Dentition 1.3 Winter dormancy 2 Relationship with humans 2.1 Bears as food and medicine 3 Classification 4 Evolutionary relationships 5 Culture 5.1 Myth and legend 5.2 Symbolic use 5.3 Figures of speech 5.4 Teddy bears 5.5 Names 6 References 7 Further reading 8 See also 9 External links

Biology

Reproduction

The bear's courtship period is very brief. Bears in northern climates reproduce seasonally, usually after a period of inactivity similar to hibernation, although tropical species breed all year round. Cubs are born toothless, blind, and bald. The cubs of brown bears, usually born in litters of 1–3, will typically stay with the mother for two full seasons. They feed on their mother's milk through the duration of their relationship with their mother, although as the cubs continue to grow, nursing becomes less frequent and learn to begin hunting with the mother. They will remain with the mother for approximately three years, until she enters the next cycle of estrus and drives the cubs off. Bears will reach sexual maturity in five to seven years.

Dentition

Unlike most other members of the Carnivora, bears have relatively undeveloped carnassial teeth, and their teeth are adapted for a diet that includes a significant amount of vegetable matter. The diverse order Carnivora (kɑrˈnɪvərə or sometimes /ˌkɑrnɪˈvɔərə/ from Latin carō (stem carn-) "flesh" + vorāre Carnassials are large teeth found in many Carnivorous Mammals, used for shearing flesh and bone in a Scissor or Shear -like way The canine teeth are large, and the molar teeth flat and crushing. "Cuspid" redirects here For the heart valves see Bicuspid valve and Tricuspid valve. Molars are the rearmost and most complicated kind of Tooth in most Mammals In many mammals they grind food hence the Latin name mola, " Millstone There is considerable variation in dental formula even within a given species. Dentition is the development of Teeth and their arrangement in the Mouth. It has been suggested that this indicates bears are still in the process of evolving from a carnivorous to a predominantly herbivorous diet. Polar bears appear to have secondarily re-evolved fully functional carnassials, as their diet has switched back towards carnivory. ^[1] The dental formula for living bears is:

3. 1. 2-4. 2

3. 1. 2-4. 3

Winter dormancy

Many bears of northern regions are assumed to hibernate in the winter. The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) is a Bear native to the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas For the ability of certain operating systems see Hibernate (OS feature Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression While many bear species do go into a physiological state called hibernation or winter sleep, it is not true hibernation. In true hibernators, body temperatures drop to near ambient and heart rate slows drastically, but the animals periodically rouse themselves to urinate or defecate and to eat from stored food. The body temperature of bears, on the other hand, drops only a few degrees from normal and heart rate slows only slightly. They normally do not wake during this "hibernation", and therefore do not eat, drink, urinate or defecate the entire period. Higher body heat and being easily roused may be adaptations, because females give birth to their cubs during this winter sleep. It can therefore be considered a more efficient form of hibernation because they need not awake through the entire period, but they are more quickly and easily awakened at the end of their hibernation. They have to stay in a den for the whole hibernation.

Relationship with humans

See also: Bear danger

Some of the larger species, such as the polar bear and the grizzly bear, are dangerous to humans, especially in areas where they have become used to people. Bear danger is a threat to many hikers and campers in the United States who visit National parks that are still relatively untouched by Humans and have The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) is a Bear native to the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas The Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis, also known as the Silvertip Bear, is a Subspecies of Brown bear (Ursus arctos that lives On the west coast of Canada, the American black bear has become an integral part of the silviculture industries, specifically treeplanting. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus) is the most common Bear Species native to North America. Treeplanting is the Process of Transplanting tree seedlings, generally for forestry land reclamation or landscaping purposes The bears are coaxed into areas of harvested forest to "flush out" the other wildlife, i. e. moose, which are a far greater threat to planters. The moose (North America or elk (Europe Alces alces, is the largest extant Species in the Deer family. For the most part, bears are shy and are easily frightened of humans. They will, however, defend their cubs ferociously if a situation calls for it.

Laws have been passed in many areas of the world to protect bears from hunters or habitat destruction. Habitat destruction is the process in which natural Habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species originally present Bears in captivity have been trained to dance, box, or ride bicycles; however, this use of the animals became controversial in the late 20th century. The bicycle, cycle, or bike is a pedal-driven, human-powered vehicle with two wheels attached to a frame, one behind

Bears as food and medicine

Many people enjoy hunting bears and eating them. Their meat is dark and stringy, like a tough cut of beef. In Cantonese cuisine, bear paws are considered a delicacy. Cantonese ( Yue) cuisine comes from Guangdong Province in Southern China, or specifically from Guangzhou (Canton The peoples of China, Japan, and Korea use bears' body parts and secretions (notably their gallbladders and bile) as part of traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine (also known as TCM,) includes a range of traditional medical practices originating in China. It is believed more than 12,000 bile bears are kept on farms, farmed for their bile, in China, Vietnam and South Korea. A bile bear or battery bear is the term used for Asiatic black bears kept in captivity in Vietnam and China so that Bile may be extracted from them for sale as a ^[2] Bear meat must be cooked thoroughly as it can often be infected with trichinellosis. Trichinosis, also called trichinellosis, or trichiniasis, is a Parasitic disease caused by eating raw or undercooked Pork and Wild game ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Classification

• Family Ursidae
  • Subfamily Ailuropodinae
    • Giant Panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca
    • Dwarf Panda, Ailuropoda minor (extinct)
  • Subfamily Tremarctinae
    • Spectacled Bear, Tremarctos ornatus
    • Florida Cave Bear, Tremarctos floridanus (extinct)
    • Giant Short-Faced Bear, Arctodus simus (extinct)
    • Short-Faced Bear, Arctodus pristinus (extinct)
    • Brazilian Short-Faced Bear, Arctotherium brasilense (extinct)
    • Argentine Short-Faced Bear, Arctotherium latidens (extinct)
  • Subfamily Ursinae
    • Brown Bear, Ursus (Ursus) arctos
      • Subspecies Syrian (Brown) Bear Ursus arctos syriacus
      • Subspecies Grizzly Bear, Ursus arctos horribilis
      • Subspecies Kodiak Bear, Ursus arctos middendorffi
      • Subspecies Himalayan Brown Bear and Himalayan Red Bear, Ursus arctos isabellinus
      • Subspecies Himalayan Blue Bear, Ursus arctos pruinosus
      • Subspecies Bergman's Bear, Ursus arctos piscator (extinct?)
      • Gobi bear, Ursus arctos gobiensis (very rare)
      • Atlas Bear, Ursus arctos crowtheri (extinct)
    • American Black Bear, Ursus (Ursus) americanus
      • Subspecies Cinnamon Bear, Ursus americanus cinnamomum
      • Subspecies Kermode Bear, Ursus americanus kermodie
    • Polar Bear, Ursus maritimus
    • Asiatic Black Bear, Ursus (Selenarctos) thibetanus
      • Formosan Black Bear, Ursus thibetanus formosanus
      • Ursus thibetanus gedrosianus
      • Ursus thibetanus japonica
      • Ursus thibetanus laniger
      • Ursus thibetanus mupinensis
      • Ursus thibetanus thibetanus
      • Ursus thibetanus ussuricu
    • Sloth Bear, Melursus ursinus
      • Subspecies Sri Lankan Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus inornatus
      • Subspecies Indian Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus ursinus
    • Sun Bear, Helarctos malayanus
      • Subspecies Borneo Sun Bear Helarctos malayanus euryspilus
    • Auvergne Bear, Ursus minimus (extinct)
    • Etruscan Bear, Ursus etruscus (extinct)
    • European Cave Bear, Ursus spelaeus (extinct)
    • MacFarlane's Bear, Ursus (Vetularctos) inopinatus (cryptid; if an authentic species, extinct)

The genera Melursus and Helarctos are sometimes also included in Ursus. The Giant Panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca, "black-and-white cat-foot" is a Mammal classified in the Bear family ( Ursidae) native to The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens in Jerusalem - The Biblical Zoo, (גן החיות התנ"כי حديقة The Giant Panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca, "black-and-white cat-foot" is a Mammal classified in the Bear family ( Ursidae) native to The Dwarf Panda ( Ailuropoda minor) is an extinct panda species The Spectacled Bear ( Tremarctos ornatus) also known as the Andean Bear and locally as ukuko, jukumari or ucumari, is the closest The Florida cave bear ( Tremarctos floridanus) is a species of extinct North American Bear that lived during the Pleistocene epoch Arctodus simus, also known as the giant short-faced bear is an extinct species of Bear. Arctodus simus, also known as the giant short-faced bear is an extinct species of Bear. The Brown Bear ( Ursus arctos) is an Omnivorous Mammal of the family Ursidae, distributed across much of northern Eurasia and In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. The Syrian Brown Bear ( Ursus arctos syriacus) is the smallest Subspecies of Brown Bear. In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. The Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis, also known as the Silvertip Bear, is a Subspecies of Brown bear (Ursus arctos that lives In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. The Kodiak bear ( Ursus arctos middendorffi) also known as the Alaskan brown bear, is a large subspecies of Brown Bear that occupies the islands of In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. The Himalayan Brown Bear ( Ursus arctos isabellinus) is a subspecies of the Brown Bear. The Himalayan Red Bear or Dzu-Teh ( Ursus arctos isabellinus) is often associated with the Himalayan Blue Bear ( Ursus arctos pruinosus In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. The Tibetan Bear or Tibetan Blue Bear ( Ursus arctos pruinosus) is a subspecies of the Brown Bear ( Ursus arctos) found in the eastern In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. The Bergman's Bear ( Ursus arctos piscator) is an alleged and probably extinct Subspecies of the Brown Bear that lived in the Kamchatka The Gobi bear (Ursus arctos gobiensis is a subspecies of the Brown bear, Ursus arctos, found in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. The Atlas Bear ( Ursus arctos crowtheri) was a Subspecies of the Brown Bear, but sometimes considered a distinct Species. The American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus) is the most common Bear Species native to North America. In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. The cinnamon bear is a subspecies of the American black bear ( Ursus americanus) native to Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. The Kermode bear, also known as the "spirit bear" or "ghost bear" is subspecies of the American Black Bear living in the central coast of British Columbia The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) is a Bear native to the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas The Formosan Black Bear ( Ursus thibetanus formosanus, or Selenarctos thibetanus formosanus) also known as the white-throated bear, is a Subspecies The Sloth Bear ( Melursus ursinus) also known as the Lip Bear, Though originally classed as a "bear sloth" due to the shape of its claws In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. The Sri Lankan Sloth Bear ( Melursus ursinus inornatus) is a subspecies of the Sloth Bear. In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. The Sloth Bear ( Melursus ursinus) also known as the Lip Bear, Though originally classed as a "bear sloth" due to the shape of its claws The Sun Bear ( Helarctos malayanus) is a Bear found primarily in the Tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. The Cave Bear ( Ursus spelaeus) was a Species of Bear which lived in Europe during the Pleistocene and became extinct at The MacFarlane's Bear is a proposed extinct species of bear that was found in Canada 's Northwest Territories. Cryptid is a term used in the study of Cryptozoology to refer to a creature whose existence has been suggested but not demonstrated scientifically The Sloth Bear ( Melursus ursinus) also known as the Lip Bear, Though originally classed as a "bear sloth" due to the shape of its claws The Sun Bear ( Helarctos malayanus) is a Bear found primarily in the Tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. The Asiatic black bear and the polar bear used to be placed in their own genera, Selenarctos and Thalarctos which are now placed at subgenus rank. In Biology, a subgenus is a Taxonomic rank directly below Genus.

A number of hybrids have been bred between American black, brown, and polar bears (see Ursid hybrids). An ursid hybrid is an animal with parents from two different Species or Subspecies of the Ursidae ( Bear) family.

Evolutionary relationships

The Ursidae family belongs to the order Carnivora and is one of nine families in the suborder Caniformia, or "doglike" carnivorans. The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) is a Bear native to the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas Bears' closest living relatives are the pinnipeds, a clade of three families: Odobenidae (the walrus), Otariidae (fur seals and sea lions), and Phocidae (true or earless seals). Pinnipeds ("fin-feet" lit "winged feet" or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semi-aquatic marine Mammals comprising The walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus) is a large flippered Marine mammal with a discontinuous circumpolar distribution in the Arctic Ocean and The eared seals or otariids are Marine mammals in the family Otariidae - one of three groupings of Pinnipeds. The true seals or earless seals are one of the three main groups of Mammals within the seal Suborder, Pinnipedia. Bears comprise eight species in three subfamilies: Ailuropodinae (monotypic with the giant panda), Tremarctinae (monotypic with the Spectacled Bear), and Ursinae (containing six species divided into one to three genera, depending upon authority). The Giant Panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca, "black-and-white cat-foot" is a Mammal classified in the Bear family ( Ursidae) native to The Spectacled Bear ( Tremarctos ornatus) also known as the Andean Bear and locally as ukuko, jukumari or ucumari, is the closest

The origins of Ursidae can be traced back to the very small and graceful Parictis that had a skull only 7 cm (3 in) long. Parictis is the earliest genus of Bear known It was a very small and graceful ursid with a skull only 7 cm long Parictis first occur in North America in the Late Eocene (ca. The Eocene epoch (558 ± 02 - 339 ± 01 Ma) is a major division of the Geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Palaeogene period in 38 million years ago), but this genus did not appear in Eurasia and Africa until the Miocene. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23 ^[6] The raccoon-sized, dog-like Cephalogale, however, is widely regarded as the most primitive ursid and is ideally suited as a representative basal taxon for the family. Cephalogale was a small bear-like carnivore the size of Dog, or Cat of the family Hemicyonidae. Cephalogale first appeared during the middle Oligocene and early Miocene (approximately 20-30 million years ago) in Europe. The Oligocene is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene period and extends from about 33 Cephalogale gave rise to a lineage of early bears of the genus Ursavus. This genus radiated in Asia and ultimately gave rise to the first true bears (genus Ursus) in Europe, 5 million years ago. Even among its primitive species, such as C. minor, it exhibits typical ursid synapomorphic dentition such as posteriorly oriented M2 postprotocrista molars, elongated m2 molars, and a reduction of the premolars. In Evolutionary biology, a synapomorphy is a derived Character state shared by two or more terminal groups ( taxa included in a Cladistic analysis Dentition is the development of Teeth and their arrangement in the Mouth. Molars are the rearmost and most complicated kind of Tooth in most Mammals In many mammals they grind food hence the Latin name mola, " Millstone Living members of the ursids are morphologically well defined by their hypocarnivorous (non-strictly meat-eating) dentitions, but fossil ursids include hypercarnivorous (strictly meat-eating) taxa, although they never achieved the extreme hypercarnivory seen in mustelids. The term morphology in Biology refers to the outward appearance ( Shape, Structure, Colour, Pattern) of an Organism A hypercarnivore is an animal that exclusively eats meat and nothing else Mustelidae or Mustelids (from Latin mustela, Weasel) commonly referred to as the weasel family, is a family of carnivorous Mammals Cephalogale was a mesocarnivore (intermediate meat-eater). ^[7] Other extinct bear genera include Arctodus, Agriarctos, Plionarctos and Indarctos. Arctodus simus, also known as the giant short-faced bear is an extinct species of Bear.

It is uncertain whether ursids were in Asia during the late Eocene, although there is some suggestion that a limited immigration from Asia may have produced Parictis in North America due to the major sea level lowstand at ca. 37 Ma, but no Parictis fossils have yet to be found in East Asia. Ursids did, however, become very diversified in Asia later during the Oligocene. Four genera representing two subfamilies (Amphicynodontinae and Hemicyoninae) have been discovered in the Oligocene of Asia: Amphicticeps, Amphicynodon, Pachycynodon, and Cephalogale. Amphicticeps is endemic from Asia and the other three genera are common to both Asia and Europe. This indicates migration of ursids between Asia and Europe during the Oligocene and migration of several taxa from Asia to North America likely occurred later during the late Oligocene or early Miocene. Although Amphicticeps is morphologically closely related to Allocyon, and also to Kolponomos of North America, no single genus of the Ursidae is known to be common to both Eurasia and North America. Cephalogale, however, do appear in North America in the early Miocene. It is interesting to note that rodents, such as Haplomys and Pseudotheridomys (late Oligocene) and Plesiosminthus and Palaeocastor (early Miocene), are common to both Asia and North America and this indicates that faunal exchange did occur between Asia and North America during the late Oligocene to early Miocene. Palaeocastor ('prehistoric beaver' is an extinct Genus of Beaver that lived in the North American Badlands during the late Oligocene Ursid migration from Asia to North America would therefore have also been very likely to occur during this time. ^[8] Three major carnivoran migrations between Eurasia and North America are recognized in the late Neogene that definitely included ursids. The Neogene is a geologic period and system starting 2303 ± 0 The first around 20 Ma (probably 21–18 Ma) were waves of intermittent dispersals that included Amphicynodon, Cephalogale and Ursavus. The second migration occurred at about 7–8 Ma and included Agriotherium. Agriotherium is an extinct genus of bear-like hemicyonid Carnivore, living from around 9 million to about 2 million years ago And the last wave took place in the early Pliocene 4 Ma with Ursus. The Pliocene epoch (spelled Pleiocene in some older texts is the period in the Geologic timescale that extends ^[9]

The giant panda's taxonomy has long been debated. The Giant Panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca, "black-and-white cat-foot" is a Mammal classified in the Bear family ( Ursidae) native to Its original classification by Armand David in 1869 was within the bear genus Ursus, but in 1870 it was reclassified by Alphonse Milne-Edwards to the raccoon family. Father Armand David ( September 27, 1826 near Bayonne &ndash November 10, 1900 in Paris) was a Lazarist Alphonse Milne-Edwards ( October 13, 1835 - April 21, 1900) was a French Mammalologist, Ornithologist and The raccoon ( Procyon lotor) (sometimes spelt as racoon) also known as the common raccoon, North American raccoon, northern raccoon ^[10] In recent studies, the majority of DNA analyses suggest that the giant panda has a much closer relationship to other bears and should be considered a member of the family Ursidae. Deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) is a Nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known ^[11] The status of the red panda remains uncertain, but many experts, including Wilson and Reeder, classify it as a member of the bear family. The Red Panda, Firefox, Fire Cat, or Lesser Panda, "or Ailurus fulgens ("shining cat" is a mostly herbivorous Mammal Others place it with the raccoons in Procyonidae or in its own family, the Ailuridae. Procyonidae is a New World family of the order Carnivora. It includes the raccoons Coatis Kinkajous Olingos Ailuridae is a family in the Mammal order Carnivora. The family includes the Red Panda (the sole living representative and its extinct Multiple similarities between the two pandas, including the presence of false thumbs, are thought to represent convergent evolution for feeding primarily on bamboo. Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages

There is also evidence that, unlike their neighbors elsewhere, the brown bears of Alaska's ABC islands are more closely related to polar bears than they are to other brown bears in the world. The Brown Bears is a name shared by all sports teams at Brown University, a University located in Providence Rhode Island in the United States The ABC Islands is the colloquial name for the Alaskan islands of Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof in the northern part of the Alexander The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) is a Bear native to the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas Researchers Gerald Shields and Sandra Talbot of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Institute of Arctic Biology studied the DNA of several samples of the species and found that their DNA is different from that of other brown bears. The University of Alaska is a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant university founded in 1917 in Fairbanks, Alaska. Foundations of modern biology There are five unifying principles Deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) is a Nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known The researchers discovered that their DNA was unique compared to brown bears anywhere else in the world. The discovery has shown that while all other brown bears share a brown bear as their closest relative, those of Alaska's ABC Islands differ and share their closest relation with the polar bear. ^[12] There is also supposed to be a very rare large bear in China called the blue bear, which presumably is a type of black bear. This animal has never been photographed.

Culture

Myth and legend

Some evidence has been brought to light on prehistoric bear worship, see Arctic, Arcturus, Great Bear, Berserker, Kalevala. The Arctic is the Region around the Earth 's North Pole, opposite the Antarctic region around the South Pole. |- bgcolor="#FFFAFA"| note (category variability || H and K emission vary Berserkers (or Berserks) were Norse Warriors who wore coats of wolf or bear skin and who were commonly understood to have fought in an uncontrollable The Kalevala is a book and epic poem which the Finn Elias Lönnrot compiled from Finnish and Karelian Folklore in the nineteenth Anthropologists such as Joseph Campbell have regarded this as a common feature in most of the fishing and hunting-tribes. Joseph John Campbell ( March 26, 1904 – October 30, 1987) was an American Mythology Professor, Writer For the computer security term see Phishing. Fishing is the activity of catching Fish. Hunting is the practice of pursuing Animals for Food, Recreation, or Trade. A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use The prehistoric Finns, along with most Finno-Ugric peoples, considered the bear as the spirit of one's forefathers. The terms Finns and Finnish people ( Finnish: suomalaiset, Swedish: finländare) are used in English to Finno-Ugric (ˌfɪnoʊˈjuːgɹɪk is a grouping of languages in the Uralic language family comprising Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian and This is why the bear was a greatly respected animal, with several euphemistic names.

This kind of attitude is reflected in the traditional Russian fairy tale "Morozko", whose arrogant protagonist Ivan tries to kill a mother bear and her cubs - and is punished and humbled by having his own head turned magically into a bear's head and being subsequently shunned by human society. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending A fairy tale or fairy story is a fictional Story that may feature folkloric characters (such as fairies, enchantments]] often involving Jack Frost (Морозко Morozko) is traditional Russian Fairy tale which served as the basis for a Soviet-Finnish production ( Gorky Film Studio

There has been evidence about early bear worship in China and among the Ainu culture as well. ʔáinu (also called Ezo in historical texts are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaidō, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin. In the Korean mythology, Korean people identifies bear as their ancestor and symbolic animal. Korean mythology consists of national legends and folk-tales which come from all over the Korean Peninsula. The Korean people are an East Asian Ethnic group. Most Koreans speak the Korean language.

In addition, the Proto-Indo-European word for bear, *hr̥ktos (ancestral to the Greek arktos, Latin ursus, Welsh arth (cf. Arthur), Sanskrit *ṛkṣa, Hittite hartagga) seems to have been subject to taboo deformation or replacement (as was the word for wolf, wlk^wos), resulting in the use of numerous unrelated words with meanings like "brown one" (English bruin) and "honey-eater" (Slavic medved). Arthur is a common male name meaning " Bear -like" believed to possibly be descended from the Roman surname Artorius (" Plowman A euphemism is a substitution of an agreeable or less offensive expression in place of one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant to the listener or in the case of doublespeak The grey wolf or gray wolf ( Canis lupus) also known as the timber wolf or simply wolf, is a Mammal of the order Carnivora Thus four separate Indo-European language groups do not share the same PIE root. The theory of the bear taboo is taught to almost all beginning students of Indo-European and historical linguistics; the putative original PIE word for bear is itself descriptive, because a cognate word in Sanskrit is rakshas, meaning "harm, injury". ^[13]

In the arms of the bishopric of Freising (illustration, right) the bear is the dangerous totem animal tamed by St. Saint Corbinian (c 670 - September 8, c 730 was a Frankish Bishop. Freising is a town in Bavaria, Germany, capital of the district Freising. Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger Corbinian and made to carry his civilised baggage over the mountains: the allegory of the civilising influence of Christianity is inescapable. Saint Corbinian (c 670 - September 8, c 730 was a Frankish Bishop. A bear also features prominently in the legend of St. Romedius, who is also said to have tamed one of these animals and had the same bear carry him from his hermitage in the mountains to the city of Trento. Saint Romedius (in Italian San Romedio; 4th century was a son of the Tyrolese count of Thaur (in the Inn Valley near Innsbruck) Trento (traditional English Trent; Italian: Trento; German: Trient; Latin: Tridentum; Note that many

Imaginary bears are a popular feature of many children's stories including Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the Berenstein Bears, and Winnie the Pooh. The Three Bears or Goldilocks and the Three Bears is a notable children's bedtime story The Berenstain Bears are a Fictional family of Anthropomorphic Bears created by Stan and Jan Berenstain in a series of very popular Children's Winnie-the-Pooh, commonly shortened to Pooh Bear and once referred to as Edward Bear, is a fictional Bear created by A

The constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor represent bears. In common usage a constellation is a group of celestial bodies that are connected together in some arrangement typically stars to form a visible figure or picture Ursa Major ( is a Constellation visible throughout the year in most of the northern hemisphere

Symbolic use

For more details on this topic, see Bears in heraldry. The Bear is a common charge in Heraldry, inherited from its Totemic use among Germanic peoples and interpreted as symbolizing strength cunning

The bear is a common National personification for Russia (as well as the Soviet Union) and even Germany. The Bear Flag is the official State flag of California The precursor of the flag was first flown during the 1846 Bear Flag Revolt and known as the Bear Flag. A national personification is an anthropomorphization of a Nation; it can appear in both Editorial cartoons and Propaganda. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The brown bear is Finland's national animal. The Brown Bear ( Ursus arctos) is an Omnivorous Mammal of the family Ursidae, distributed across much of northern Eurasia and Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. In the United States, the black bear is the state animal of Louisiana, New Mexico, and West Virginia; the grizzly bear is the state animal of both Montana and California. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus) is the most common Bear Species native to North America. A state mammal is the official or representative Animal of a U The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by The Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis, also known as the Silvertip Bear, is a Subspecies of Brown bear (Ursus arctos that lives Montana ( is a state in the Western United States. One-third of the state in the western part contains numerous mountain ranges (approximately 77 named of the northern California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean.

Also, "bear", "bruin", or specific types of bears are popular nicknames or mascots, e. A nickname is a Name of an entity or thing that is not its Proper name. The term mascot – defined as a term for any person animal or object thought to bring Luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common g. for sports teams (Chicago Bears, Boston Bruins); and a bear cub was mascot of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, USSR. The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Boston Bruins are a professional Ice hockey team based in Boston Massachusetts. The term mascot – defined as a term for any person animal or object thought to bring Luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event held in Moscow in the Soviet Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

Smokey Bear has become a part of American culture since his introduction in 1944. Smokey Bear (often wrongly referred to as Smokey The Bear is a character in the longest running public service campaign in United States history The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Known to almost all Americans, he and his message, "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires" (updated in 2001 to "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires") has been a symbol of preserving woodlands. ^[14] Smokey wears a hat similar to one worn by many U. A campaign hat (also Stetson, drill instructor hat, drill sergeant hat, round brown, ranger hat, sergeant hat, S. state police officers, giving rise to the CB slang "bear" or "Smokey" for the highway patrol. CB slang (commonly called "CB Talk" are terms that those operating CB radio used mainly during the CB craze of the 1970s and 1980s A highway patrol is either a Police agency created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing Traffic safety Compliance on roads and highways

The British Lion, the Persian Cat and the Russian Bear (see The Great Game)

Smokey Bear

Misha, mascot of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, by Victor Chizhikov

"The Three Bears", Arthur Rackham's illustration to English Fairy Tales, by Flora Annie Steel

Figures of speech

The physical attributes and behaviours of bears are commonly used in figures of speech in English. The Persian (Persia گربه ایرانی) is one of the oldest breeds of Cat. The Russian Bear is a National personification for Russia, used in cartoons and articles at least since the 19th century and relating alike to Tsarist For the film see The Great Game (film The Great Game was a term used for the strategic rivalry and conflict between the British Empire Smokey Bear (often wrongly referred to as Smokey The Bear is a character in the longest running public service campaign in United States history This page is about the Olympic mascot For the Anime / Manga character see Misha (Pita-ten, for the Ar tonelico Melody of Elemia character The term mascot – defined as a term for any person animal or object thought to bring Luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event held in Moscow in the Soviet The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Victor Chizhikov (Виктор Андреевич Чижиков born on September 26, 1935. Arthur Rackham ( 19 September 1867 &ndash 6 September 1939) was a prolific English book illustrator Flora Annie Steel ( April 2 1847 -1929 was an English writer She was the daughter of George Webster In the stock market, a bear market is a period of declining prices. A stock market, or (equity market is a private or public market for the trading of company Stock and derivatives of company In Investing, Financial markets are commonly believed to have market trends that can be classified as primary trends secondary trends (short-term and secular trends Pessimistic forecasting or negative activity is said to be bearish (due to the stereotypical posture of bears looking downwards), and one who expresses bearish sentiment is a bear. Its opposite is a bull market, and bullish sentiment from bulls. In gay slang, the term "bear" refers to male individuals who possess physical attributes much like a bear, such as a heavy build, abundant body hair, and commonly facial hair. Bear is LGBT slang for those in the bear communities a subculture in the Gay / Bisexual male communities and an emerging subset of To "try like a bear" means to try your hardest to catch the attention of a certain lady. The harder you try, the better the bear you are. A bear hug is typically a tight hug that involves wrapping one's arms around another person, often leaving that person's arms immobile. In Wrestling, the bear hug (also known as a bodylock) is a Grappling term for a clinch hold and stand-up grappling position where A hug is a form of Physical intimacy that generally involves closing or holding the Arms around another person or group of persons It was used in the Ronald Reagan political ad "Bear in the woods. "

"Bear tracking"

In the old Western states of the U.S. and to this day in the former Dakota Territory, the expression, "You ain't just a bear trackin'. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Dakota Territory was the name of an organized territory of the United States that existed from 1861 to 1889 ", is used to mean "You ain't lying. " or "That's for sure. " or "You're not just blowing smoke. " This expression evolved as an outgrowth of the experience pioneer hunters and mountainmen had when tracking bear. Bears often lay down false tracks and are notorious for doubling back on anything tracking them. If you are not following bear tracks, you are not following false trails or leads in your thoughts, words or deeds.

Teddy bears

Main article: Teddy Bear

Around the world many children have stuffed animals in the form of bears. The teddy bear is a stuffed Toy Bear. It is an enduring traditional form of a Stuffed animal, often serving the purpose of comforting children A stuffed animal is Toy Animal sewn from Cloth,

Names

In Scandinavia the word for bear is Björn (or Bjørn), and is a relatively common given name for males. Bjorn (English Björn (Swedish and Icelandic Bjørn (Norwegian and Danish Beorn (Old English or rarely Bjôrn, Biorn, or The use of this name is ancient and has been found mentioned in several runestone inscriptions. A runestone is typically a raised stone with a runic inscription but the term can also be applied to inscriptions on boulders and on bedrock ^[15] The name was also used by J. R. R. Tolkien in his book "The Hobbit", where a bear-like character is named Beorn. Appearances Literature He lived with his animals (horses dogs and ponies among others in a wooden house between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood

The female first name "Ursula", originally derived from a Christian saint's name and common in English- and German-speaking countries, means "Little she-bear" (dimunitive of Latin "ursa"). This article is about the saint For schools by the same name see St Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. In Switzerland the male first name "Urs" is especially popular.

In Russian and other Slavic languages, the word for bear, "Medved" (медведь), and variants or derivatives such as Medvedev are common surnames. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages The Slavic languages (also called Slavonic languages) a group of closely related Languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages

In East European Jewish communities, the name "Ber" (בער) - Yiddish cognate of "Bear" - has been attested as a common male first name, at least since the 18th century, and was among others the name of several prominent Rabbis. Yiddish (yi [[wiktייִדיש ייִדיש]] yidish or yi [[wiktאידיש אידיש]] idish, literally "Jewish" is a nonterritorial High Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master The Yiddish "Ber" is still in use among Orthodox Jewish communities in Israel, the US and other countries. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized

With the transition from Yiddish to Hebrew under the influence of Zionism, the Hebrew word for "bear", "Dov" (דב), was taken up in contemporary Israel and is at present among the commonly used male first names in that country. History of Zionism|Timeline of Zionism|World Zionist Organization|Zionist political violence Zionism is an international political movement that originally supported the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics.

References

Further reading

• Bears of the World, Terry Domico, Photographs by Terry Domico and Mark Newman, Facts on File, Inc, 1988, hardcover, ISBN 0-8160-1536-8
• The Bear by William Faulkner
• Brunner, Bernd: Bears - A Brief History. William Faulkner (born William Cuthbert Falkner) ( September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) was an American Author New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2007

See also

External links

• The Bears Project Information, reports and images of European brown bears and other living species
• Grizzly Bear Outreach Project Information on the history, biology, and conservation of North American Grizzly Bears

Bear hunting is the act of hunting Bears. Bears have been hunted since prehistoric times for their meat and fur Celebrity bears have played a leading role in modern popular culture from starring in television roles to blockbuster films and even Professional wrestling. The International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA also known as the International Bear Association, is a non-profit tax-exempt organization open to professional This is a list of known fatal Bear attacks that occurred in North America by decade in reverse chronological order. Bears are very common fictionalized and personified animals and can be found in almost every single kind of fiction This is a list of Bears Types of bears American Black Bear Cinnamon Bear Kermode Bear The class Mammalia (the Mammals is divided into two subclasses based on reproductive techniques egg laying mammals (the Monotremes) and mammals which give live birth Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands Mammalia is a class of animal within the Phylum Chordata. Mammal classification has been through several iterations since Carolus Linnaeus initially defined " There is a bear in the woods " was the opening line of an effective Political campaign Television commercial formally titled " Bear " " Manbearpig " is episode 145 of Comedy Central 's South Park and originally aired on April 26, 2006. Sankebetsu brown bear incident ( Sankebetsu Higuma jiken) or Rokusensawa bear attack ( Rokusensawa yūgai jiken) was the worst Bear attack The Three Bears or Goldilocks and the Three Bears is a notable children's bedtime story

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