Large Himalayan bear. White-breasted or Himalayan bear. How much does a bear weigh

This unusual creature about 40 million appeared. years ago. They live in warm subtropical ocean waters, often appearing in the coastal zone.

Appearance and lifestyle

Reaches a maximum body length of 7 meters, and weighs up to a ton. Its strong, streamlined and flexible body allows it to swim quickly and quietly. She performs sharp turns at high speed.

She has a large dorsal fin, i.e. pretty high. The upper body is gray, the belly is white, the tips of the fins are dark gray. What is most striking is the shape of this unusual head, which is flattened and strongly elongated on the sides.

No less surprising are the bulging yellow eyes that are located on the sides of the wonderful head. Her eyes are protected by moving eyelids. Here, on the sides, not far from the eyes, there are nostrils. She does not see what is happening ahead, often turns her head and relies on her senses of smell.

But why does a fish have such a strange head? There is still no exact answer to this question; there are only hypotheses and assumptions. Researchers have found that its face has many electrosensory areas, more than other sharks.

They help to capture the exact location of prey, both over long distances and in narrow areas. For example, if a stingray is hiding in the bottom sand, she can easily determine its location. He will have no chance of salvation.

The predator's mouth is located below, under the snout, and its eyes are “well hidden”, therefore, having grabbed a stingray, it is not afraid of blows from the defending victim with its spiked tail. After all, he won’t hurt the predator, he just won’t reach the vulnerable spots.

Her teeth are saw-toothed and sharp, growing in several rows. It will bite, it will bite. Unlike many other species, hammerhead sharks are social and they often gather in schools. Serve to each other various signs movements of the head and body.

Nutrition

The hammerhead shark feeds on fish, sharks, and other sharks. At night they hunt alone, and during the day they gather in packs. In shallow waters, it can become tanned and its body becomes brownish in color.

It seems like no other animal can get a suntan. It rarely attacks humans. Most likely this happens during the breeding season.

Reproduction

Pregnancy will last about a year. This is a viviparous individual and can give birth to up to 40 sharks. Born cubs are head down, swim quickly, their body length is up to 50 cm. First, the cubs lose weight. They are similar to their parents, only small in size, and the babies' heads are soft and easy to bend.

In shallow water they learn to hunt, acquiring the skills of this difficult task. You also need to be cunning and not get caught by other predators for lunch. The faster they learn to defend themselves, the greater their chances of survival. The growing young generation, having gained strength, leaves the coastal zones.

Lifespan

IN wildlife The hammerhead shark lives about 40 years.

• Class – Cartilaginous fish
• Order – Carharhiniformes
• Family – Hammerhead sharks
• Genus – Hammerfish
• Species – Hammerhead Shark

Titles: white-breasted bear, black Asian bear, white-breasted bear, black Tibetan bear, black Himalayan bear, moon bear, Ussuri bear.

Area: Most of The range of the white-breasted bear is in East Asia. It is found in Afghanistan, the Himalayas, Indochina, Southern and Eastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and some Japanese islands. In Russia, it is a species with a declining population and range; it lives only in the Ussuri region and the Amur region. The border of the range of the white-breasted bear in Russia almost completely coincides with the border of the distribution of Far Eastern broad-leaved, cedar-broad-leaved and oak-broad-leaved forests. It is found at altitudes up to 3600 m above sea level.

Description: The white-breasted bear is inferior in size to the brown bear and differs from it in its more slender physique. The head is relatively small, with an elongated thin muzzle and very large funnel-shaped, widely spaced ears. The forehead and bridge of the nose in profile form one line. The fur is thick, long, there is a spot on the chest, shaped like Latin letter V. The animal standing on all fours has a croup slightly higher than the withers. Their claws are strong, steeply curved and sharp, and their paws, especially the front ones, are very strong, more powerful and longer than the hind ones. On the tracks of the front paws, the length of the fingerprints is almost equal to the length of the palm print. Individual variability in this species is weakly expressed. The dental formula consists of: 3/3, 1/1, 4/4, 2/3 - a total of 42 teeth.

Color: The fur is shiny black, there is a white or yellowish V-shaped spot on the chest, which is why it is called white-breasted.

Size: Body length of males is 158-171, rarely up to 200 cm; females - 128-144 cm.

Weight: Adult males weigh 120-150, sometimes more than 200 kg. Females are noticeably smaller than males, 50-125 kg.

Lifespan: 25 years. The most famous longest life expectancy of the Ussuri bear in captivity is 33 years.

Voice: White-breasted bears communicate with each other by voice. For example, when bear pups are separated from their mothers, they make a call of challenge. Low guttural noises can be an indication of the bear's displeasure, and together with the clicking of its teeth, it can indicate its aggressiveness.

Habitat: The geographic distribution of the white-breasted bear is associated with high-trunk tropical and subtropical deciduous forests Southeast and East Asia. Inhabits cedar-bush deciduous forests Manchurian type, oak forests and cedar forests with Manchurian walnut and Mongolian oak, distinguished by an abundance of nuts, all kinds of berries and other fruits that serve as the most important food for the bear. They live high in the mountains mainly in the summer; by winter they usually descend lower into the valleys.

Enemies: Tigers, brown bears and wolves. The tiger is especially terrible, from whose claws it is difficult for the white-breasted animal to escape alive. The decline in the number of Himalayan bears is only the result of human activity.

Food: The diet of the Ussuri bear is dominated by plant foods: Manchurian nuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, acorns, various berries, as well as herbaceous plants, leaves and buds of trees. Bears are very fond of bird cherry berries; when the harvest is abundant, the animals accumulate in the floodplains of rivers and springs. On occasion, it destroys apiaries, and sometimes the bear drags the stolen hive into the water to “neutralize” the bees. The most commonly consumed animal food is insects and their faces. Even in the spring, after leaving their dens, white-breasted bears do not prey; they practically do not eat fish, but they do not disdain carrion. However, according to some reports, in South Asia they often attack wild ungulates and livestock, and are even considered dangerous to humans.

Behavior: It is a good tree climber and leads a semi-arboreal lifestyle. The white-breasted bear spends at least half of its life in trees. He gets his food in the trees, and there he escapes from enemies and pesky midges.
To the top of the big tree it costs him nothing to climb (and in the Ussuri taiga there are 30-meter green giants) but the beast descends from such a height in two or three seconds. It jumps from trees four to six meters high without thinking. Climbing into the crowns of trees, sitting on a branch, it obtains food, breaking off branches and eating tasty fruits from them, and puts the branches under itself. It turns out to be a kind of nest, which he uses for rest. On windless days at dawn, the sounds of branches breaking can be heard far away. This is how clearly visible “nests” are formed.
When meeting a person - he leaves, cases aggressive behavior rare. This animal never attacks people for no reason; after being shot and wounded, it often runs away, but it is not so rare that it decisively rushes at its offender. Mother bears guarding cubs often make threatening attacks towards a person, but complete the attack when the person tries to escape.
For winter hibernation, the Himalayan bear most often settles down in the hollows of large trees. The most favorable for wintering are spacious hollows in huge trunks of poplars or lindens. The entrance to such a den is usually located no lower than 5 m from the ground. In accordance with the size of the bears, such trees must have a diameter of at least 90 cm. Less commonly, where large hollow trees are cut down or simply absent, the bear settles in basal hollows or in nests made of branches near the trunk of a large tree or winters in a cave or rock crevices.
The white-breasted bear is characterized by seasonal migrations from wintering areas to deciduous forests and back, and the transitions are usually made along the same routes. Wintering grounds are concentrated in areas centered on massive watersheds. Typically, the location of the winter den is located within an individual area, and when approaching the den, the white-breasted bear tries to confuse its tracks so as not to give away its location.
This species has high physiological and ethological plasticity. White-breasted bears behave like other bears during hibernation: They do not excrete urea or solid fecal material. During hibernation, the heart rate decreases from 40-70 beats per minute to 8-12 beats per minute, and metabolic processes decrease from normal by 50%. Body temperature decreases only 3-7 degrees Celsius. Due to the fact that the white-breasted bear's body temperature does not decrease significantly, the bear can easily wake up. At the end of hibernation, males lose up to 15-30% of their total weight, while females lose up to 40%. Bears emerge from their dens after winter sleep around the second half of April.
The white-breasted bear excellent memory, and he remembers both good and evil well. And the range of moods is very wide - from peace-loving, good-natured and philosophically calm to extremely excited and very angry.

Social structure: Except for the mating season, Ussuri bears lead a solitary lifestyle, sometimes concentrating in places with abundant food. Among bears, there is a certain social hierarchy associated with the age and body weight of males, especially evident during the mating season. Those young males whose weight is less than 80 kg have practically no chance of mating with females.
At the same time, bears often establish visual contact with each other when, through postures and movements, they demonstrate their dominant or subordinate status to another. To indicate subordinate status, the bear moves away, or sits, or lies down. To confirm its dominant influence, the bear walks or runs towards its competitor.
To communicate with other white-breasted bears, animals also use their keen sense of smell, making urinary marks; clean themselves and rub against tree trunks to leave their scent on them. Individual plots ranging in area from 6-8 to 10-20 and even 36 km 2, depending on the suitability and availability of food. The more and more varied the food on the site, the smaller its territory.

Reproduction: The rut proceeds more calmly than that of the brown bear. The white-breasted bear is a polygamous animal. Females enter periods of estrus and non-estrus at irregular intervals, and therefore mating occurs over a period of 12 to 35 days. Pairs are formed on a short time.
Given the relatively low rates of reproduction of the white-breasted bear population (females bear their first litter only in the third or fourth year of life, no more than 35% of females participate in reproduction annually), any excess of the permissible fishing load leads to a rapid decline in the number of bears. Also, fires, massive logging and poaching lead to a decline in the population.

Breeding season/period: From mid-June to mid-August.

Puberty: Young animals reach sexual maturity in the third year, but many females at this age remain without offspring.

Pregnancy: Lasts 7-8 months.

Offspring: The female usually gives birth to 1-2 cubs from late December to mid-February. Usually, cubs are born weighing 300-400 grams, they develop slowly and even at the age of one month are completely helpless. They stop feeding on mother's milk at the age of 3.5 months.

Benefit/harm for humans: Himalayan bear- a valuable hunting object. Poachers shoot it for bile and meat, which is less affected by trichinosis than brown bear. White-breasted bears are also hunted for their paws and skin.

Population/conservation status: The species was listed in the Russian Red Book in 1983. Since 1977, hunting of the Himalayan bear has been prohibited. The population density in the best stages is 7-10 animals per 100 km 2, but economic development of the territory is gradually pushing the bear into worse habitats.
In winter, hunters often cut down trees occupied by bears, which leads to the reduction of hollow trees. In many areas, the number of white-breasted bears is already limited by a lack of wintering places.
The number of white-breasted bears in the early 70s. was determined at 6-8 thousand individuals, including in the Primorsky Territory - 4-5 thousand individuals. Apparently, its numbers continued to decline in subsequent years. It is believed that the number of these animals decreases by 4-4.6% annually. This process occurs even on the territory of the Lazovsky Nature Reserve, although in the fall, before hibernation, the number of bears here noticeably increases due to immigration from surrounding areas. Greatest damage Bear populations are harmed by poaching. Of the 147 registered in the mid-70s. cases of shooting of bears of two species within the range of the white-breasted bear, the latter accounted for 53.1% of the kill. Particularly destructive is the predominant shooting of females with cubs, whose combined share in the production exceeds 80%. All young of the year were shot together with their mothers. Deforestation of indigenous forests, especially cedar-broad-leaved forests, and Forest fires deprive white-breasted bears of their main habitats, pushing them into areas with worse food and protective conditions. In addition, cutting down hollow trees deprives animals of the most convenient and safe winter shelters. A decrease in the number of reliable shelters increases the death of white-breasted bears from enemy predators.
In the Primorsky Territory, licensing has been introduced since 1975, and since 1983. Hunting of the white-breasted bear is prohibited. In the Khabarovsk Territory, a complete ban on hunting this animal has been introduced since 1977.
At the end of the 60s, the total number of Himalayan bears was estimated at 5.8-7.2 thousand. In 1985, the number of this animal was estimated at 4.6-5.4 thousand heads, of which 3.2-3.5 thousand were in Primorye. Amur region: 20-55 individuals. Jewish A.O. - the number of this species is 150-250 individuals. Khabarovsk region- can be estimated at 2-3 thousand heads. Primorsky Krai. In this region, the population in 1997 was estimated at 2.4 thousand individuals, in 1999 - 2.7 thousand heads. Thus, the total number of white-breasted (Himalayan) bears in Russia is estimated at 5-6 thousand individuals.

They are the ones who have always instilled fear in people and fascinated them at the same time. Himalayan bear is the most interesting view these animals.

It is also called the black Ussuri bear, the lunar bear, the arboreal bear, or they simply say the white-breasted bear. The history of their appearance is interesting. According to scientists, they descended from a small animal called Protursus, from ancestors with European and Asian roots. Black and brown bears are descended from Asian bears.

Description and features of the Himalayan bear

Size Himalayan brown bear has some differences with ordinary brown, if you compare their external data. There are many significant differences between them, which are visible to the naked eye.

On photo of Himalayan bear it is clear that he has a large head with a pointed muzzle, a flat forehead and protruding ears. The hind legs do not have as much strength and power as the front legs.

The weight of an adult animal reaches 140 kg, with a height of about 170 cm. The female of this animal is slightly smaller, its average weight is up to 120 kg, with a height of 180 cm. The animals have brownish-black and black coat color, it is silky and shiny, lush and thick , especially on the sides of the bear's head.

This makes its front part visually larger than its back. The animal’s neck is decorated with an original white spot in the shape of the English letter V. The animal’s toes have short, curved and sharp claws.

This shape of the claws helps the animal to move through trees without problems. The bear's tail, compared to its entire size, is quite tiny, its length reaches about 11 cm.

The Himalayan bear is an excellent tree climber

About the Himalayan bear there is a lot of information. Healing properties Their internal organs and the value of their fur have led to the fact that they have long been subject to poaching in some regions.

The animal gradually began to disappear from the face of the earth, so it was brought Himalayan bear in Krasnaya for a long time, which helps to protect him at least a little from humanity.

The poacher who kills this animal is subject to the most severe punishment. In addition to people, the Himalayan bear also has enemies in the form of animals.

Often they come into conflict with brown, and. The threat to life lasts until the animal reaches 5 years of age.

The Himalayan bear is often called the "moon bear" because of the crescent moon of light fur on its chest.

After this, the Himalayan bear has much fewer enemies. Another saving grace for clubfooted animals is the fact that they are mostly found in trees and between rocks. Not every large predator can get there.

Lifestyle and habitat of the Himalayan bear

Judging by description of the Himalayan bear, his wood method Its life activity differs from its brown counterparts. These animals spend almost half of their lives in trees.

There it is easier for them to get food and escape from potential enemies. They climb to the top of the tall tree, about 30 meters high. without much difficulty and in a matter of seconds he can descend from it to the ground.

They jump from a tree about 6 meters high without fear. Bears behave interestingly in a tree. They sit between the branches, break them off and eat the delicious fruits. After this, the animal does not throw away the branches, but lays them under itself.

After some time, these branches form a large nest. uses it for relaxation. When the weather in the forest is calm and windless, you can hear the cracking of branches broken by a bear from a long distance. This is how they build their nests.

Himalayan bears try to meet people very rarely and avoid these meetings in every possible way. The animals simply leave without displaying aggressive behavior. There have been isolated cases of them attacking people.

Hearing the shot, the animal tries to run away. But sometimes in such cases, aggression awakens in these animals, and they rush at their offenders. This mostly happens to a female bear who is protecting her cubs.

She takes a decisive step forward and brings her actions to the final result in case the offender tries to escape. Himalayan bears, like all their other relatives, winter time hibernate. For this purpose they find hollows of large trees. Most often and most conveniently for them, it is in the hollow of a poplar or linden tree.

The entrance to this dwelling is usually located high, not lower than 5 meters. In order for an animal of this size to fit in a hollow, the tree must be quite large.

In cases where such trees simply do not exist in places where Himalayan bear lives a cave, a rock or a root hollow of a tree serves as a shelter for it. White-breasted bears migrate from wintering areas to deciduous forests and back. It is typical that animals choose the same route for crossings.

These animals have excellent physiological and ethological plasticity. Their behavior is no different from the behavior of bears of other breeds - they do not excrete urea and feces during winter sleep.

All vital activity of bears and metabolic processes become 50% below standard levels. Body temperature also drops slightly. Thanks to this, the bear can always wake up easily.

During winter sleep, Himalayan bears lose significant weight. The second half of April is characterized by the fact that these animals wake up and leave their temporary shelters.

They have perfect memory. It is characteristic that they remember both good and evil. Mood can change in different directions. A bear can be peacefully good-natured, but after a while become aggressive and quite agitated.

With the exception of the mating period of its life, the Himalayan bear prefers to lead a solitary, solitary life. Likes to live in those places where there is the most food.

They are not alien to the feeling social hierarchy. It depends on the age of the bears and their weight category. This is especially clearly noticed during the mating season in animals. Males weighing less than 80 kg cannot always mate with females.

Places, where does the Himalayan bear live, there is a sufficient number. They prefer tall tropical and subtropical broadleaf forests in southeast and east Asia, as well as cedar and oak plantations, places where there is enough food for them. IN summer time they climb high into the mountains, and in winter they prefer to go lower.

Nutrition

The Himalayan bear prefers to eat plant foods. His favorite delicacies are Manchurian nuts, hazel, cedar nuts, acorns, various wild berries, as well as grass, leaves and tree buds.

Their favorite delicacy is bird cherry. Bears can eat its berries endlessly. Sometimes bears sneak into the apiary and steal the hives along with the honey. The fact that they drag this stolen hive in order to protect themselves from wasps speaks of their highly developed intelligence.

White-breasted bears collect not only ripe fruits, but also those that are not yet ripe. This is how they differ from brown bears. There is significant stability in their food supply. The animal can thus accumulate enough fat, which is enough not only for hibernation, but also for spring period awakening.

Animals can often treat themselves to larvae and insects. They do not like fish and are not predators. But they never refuse carrion. But there is evidence that bears that live in South Asia can easily attack wild ungulates and livestock. Some of them are dangerous for people. This is a strong and agile animal that can kill its prey by breaking its neck.

Reproduction and lifespan of the Himalayan bear

Mating season at Himalayan black bear falls on June-August. The female carries her babies for 200-245 days. They are born by a sleeping female bear in a den.

Pictured is a Himalayan bear cub

This mainly occurs in late winter or early spring. At the same time, one or a couple of babies are born. In rare cases, there are 3 or four cubs.

Average weight Newborns at birth are about 400 g. Their growth is slow. At one month of age, cubs are completely helpless and defenseless. By May they gain quite a bit of weight, it is about 3 kg.

The younger generation matures at 2-3 years from birth. At the same time, they mature sexually. The interval between the birth of babies in females is 2-3 years. IN wild conditions Himalayan bears live up to 25 years. The length of their life in captivity sometimes reached 44 years.

Appearance

The Himalayan bear is almost half the size of the brown bear and differs from it in its slimmer build, thin pointed muzzle, and large rounded ears; The front legs are stronger than the hind legs. Males of this species are 150-170 cm long, height at the withers is about 80 cm, and weigh 120-140 kg. Females are noticeably smaller.

The fur is short, shiny, silky; usually black, but there are individuals of brownish or reddish color. There is always a white, sometimes with a yellowish tint, V-shaped spot on the chest; it resembles a crescent moon, and it is because of it that the Himalayan bear is called the “moon bear”.

Spreading

It lives in hill and mountain forests from Iran through Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Himalayas to Korea and Japan. In the north, the range covers northeast China (Manchuria) and the Primorsky Krai of Russia, and in the south it reaches northern Vietnam and the islands of Hainan and Taiwan. In the Himalayas in the summer it lives at an altitude of 3000-4000 m, descending to the foot of the mountains in the winter.

The food of the Himalayan bear is 85 percent of plant origin: pine and other nuts, acorns, various berries and fruits, shoots of herbs and shrubs, succulent bulbs and rhizomes. It rarely preys, but does not disdain carrion. From protein foods, it feeds on ants and other insects, mollusks, and frogs. Doesn't attack people.

In winter it goes into hibernation. Dens are made in hollows of soft tree species - poplar or linden. Life expectancy - approx. 25 years.

The main natural enemies of the Himalayan bear are the Amur tiger and the brown bear.

Reproduction

Like the brown bear, the white-breasted bear mates in the summer, but somewhat earlier than the brown bear, and the rut proceeds more calmly.

Females give birth to 1-2 cubs weighing only 300-400 g. The cubs develop slowly and even at one month of age are completely helpless. Young animals reach sexual maturity in the third year.

Population status

The Himalayan bear, like the brown bear, serves as a valuable hunting object. In Chinese folk medicine its gallbladder is used, and its paws are used in cooking.

• One of the subspecies of the white-breasted bear is included in the IUCN Red List - Balochistan white-breasted bear(U. thibetanus gedrosianus) as Critically Endangered, found in south central Balochistan. By the beginning of the 70s of the last century, the number of its individuals did not exceed 200.

• Another subspecies - Ussuri white-breasted bear(U. thibetanus ussurianus) - until 1998 it was listed in the Red Book of Russia, now it is a hunting species. It lives in the south of Khabarovsk and Primorsky Krai, in the southeastern part of the Amur region, and is also common in Northeast China and the Korean Peninsula. Its population in Russia in the 90s was estimated at 4-7 thousand animals, and is currently on the verge of extinction (up to 1 thousand) due to its high sensitivity to economic activity humans, in particular due to the cutting down of mature forests and the reduction in the number of wintering sites (hollow holes), as well as mass hunting. After the First International Environmental Forum “Nature Without Borders” link in Vladivostok, in the fall of 2006, in the Primorsky Territory, a restriction on hunting the Himalayan bear in a den was introduced in order to reduce the number of orphan cubs in the population and relieve pressure on the Ussuri enclosure for holding cubs of wild animals.

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See what “Himalayan bear” is in other dictionaries:

Himalayan bear- Ursus thibetanus see also 3.3.1. Genus Bears Ursus Himalayan Ursus bear thibetanus (hunters call it white-breasted for this stripe). The forehead and bridge of the nose in profile form one line. The standing animal has a croup slightly higher than the withers. The ears are big... Animals of Russia. Directory

- (Ursus thibetanus), a relatively small predator from the bear family (see BEARS) (Ursidae). Inferior in size brown bear and differs from it in its slimmer build, thin muzzle and very large ears. Adult males weigh... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

himalayan bear Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

Mammal of the bear family; the same as the White-breasted bear... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Himalayan black bear- himalajinis lokys statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Ursus thibetanus engl. Asiatic black bear; Himalayan black bear vok. Kragenbär; Weißbrustbär rus. white-breasted bear; Himalayan bear; black… … Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

bear- big-headed (Balmont); heavy (Severtsev Polilov); shaggy (Fedor. Davydov); clubfoot (Gogol); lazy (Severtsev Polilov); slow (Bryusov); clumsy ( Mamin Sibiryak); gloomy (Bryusov) Epithets of literary Russian speech. M: Supplier... ... Dictionary of epithets

- (Ursus) a genus of carnivores from the bear family. This includes the most major representatives families and M. in general belong to the largest predators. The muzzle is elongated, the body is very dense and strong, the limbs are thick and strong, supported by the entire sole,... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Brown bear Scientific classification Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata Subtype ... Wikipedia

- (Ursus) a genus of carnivores from the bear family. This includes the largest representatives of the family, and in general M. belong to the largest predators. The muzzle is elongated, the body is very dense and strong, the limbs are thick and strong, supported by everything... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

The body length of males from the Primorsky Territory is up to 170 cm (sometimes up to 190 cm), tail length up to 11, height at the withers up to 90 cm; females are somewhat smaller. The weight of adult males is 130-160, in rare cases up to 200 kg, the weight of females is 120-140, sometimes 170 kg. Individual variability is less pronounced than in the brown bear.

The head of the Himalayan bear is relatively small, the muzzle is short and pointed. The ears are large, rounded, protruding far from the fur. The front part of the body is more massive than the back, the limbs are relatively slender. The supporting area of ​​the forelimbs is 27% greater than that of the hind limbs. The soles are bare. On the palmar side, the carpal pad is not reduced and is equal in width to the plantar pad. The claws are large, strongly curved, sharp, suitable for climbing trees. The claws of the front and hind limbs differ less in length than those of the brown bear.

Hairline of Himalayan bears

The hair of the Himalayan bear is thick, very long and lush. In winter the underfur is well developed, but in summer it is not. The length of the hair on the back is up to 100-105 mm, on the nape and neck it reaches 160 mm. The color in winter is black with a brownish tint, in summer it is pitch black. The muzzle is dark, sometimes with lightening on the chin. On the chest there is a large contrasting white or yellowish-orange spot of a crescent or V-shape. The claws are black. In arid areas in the south of the range, the color is reddish-brown. Red-haired individuals with lighter areas on the face, back and limbs are also found in Indochina.

Distribution and habitat of Himalayan bears

Inhabits forest areas South and East Asia. Found in Iran (Jiroft Mountains), Balochistan, northeastern Afghanistan, Kashmir, the Himalayas, Indochina, southern and eastern China (including Sichuan and Gansu provinces), the Korean Peninsula and the south Far East Russia. There are on the islands of Hainan, Taiwan and Japan. Currently, in many of specified places became rare or completely disappeared.

In Russia, the northern border of the range runs north of the Amur from the interfluve of the Bureya and Arkhara rivers, covers the Lesser Khingan, the south of the Bureinsky Mountains, the lower reaches of the river. Urmi, hr. Vandan, passes north of Lake Bolon and, deviating to the south, crosses the Amur near the mouth of the Goryun River. It then follows the western slopes of the Sikhote-Alin through the middle reaches of the Hungari, Anyui and Khor rivers to the sources of the Kema River, turns east, crosses the Sikhote-Alin and along the coast Sea of ​​Japan rises north to the basins of the Botchi and Koppi rivers. Within the boundaries of the delineated territory, the species is currently absent in the valleys of the Amur (north to Komsomolsk) and Ussuri, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bLake. Khanka and in the extreme south of Primorsky Krai.

Geographical variability and classification of the Himalayan bear

There is an increase in the size of bears and the density of their hair in the north of their range; the largest specimens are also found here. Island bears inhabiting Japanese islands and Taiwan, significantly smaller than mainland ones. On Honshu Island their size increases slightly to the north.

For the Himalayan bear, 7 modern subspecies are accepted. They form 2 size groups; one includes large bears mainland subspecies (thibetanus, laniger, ussuricus), the other - small animals of island subspecies (japonicus, formosanus). Bears of the subspecies U.t. mupinensis occupy an intermediate position in size. Pocock separated them from the representatives of U. t. thibetanus by the degree of development of the undercoat, allowing for the possibility of the latter subspecies penetrating into southern China.

U. t. occupies a separate position. gedrosianus. Bears of this subspecies are found in arid forests, which is unusual for the species. Their size is smaller than that of animals of the nominative subspecies, the color of the hair is not black, but light brown or reddish-brown. The systematic position of tawny bears from Indochina has not been determined.

Himalayan bears from Taiwan (U. t. formosanus) are craniometrically close to Japanese bears. It is possible that both subspecies are associated with the former routes of dispersal of the species to the Japanese Islands. The Himalayan bears could have reached them from the south via a land bridge that passed through Taiwan. The past existence of such a bridge is indicated by the distribution of the large mammal association Bubalus-Megaloceros, which is known from Middle Pleistocene localities in Taiwan, Kyushu, Honshu and Hokkaido. Another likely route for the species to spread to the Japanese islands could have been along the bridge connecting Japan with the Korean Peninsula.

Lifestyle of Himalayan bears

Inhabitant of subtropical and tropical forests with tall hollow trees, dense undergrowth and vines. In the south of the Russian Far East it inhabits broad-leaved and cedar-broad-leaved forests up to 600-700 m above sea level. In mountain taiga, small forests, and birch forests it occurs sporadically, most often when the main food crop fails. Avoids swampy areas of floodplains of large rivers and open spaces. It rarely enters the highlands of the Sikhote-Alin, but in the Himalayas it rises in summer to a height of 4500 m. In Japan, the distribution of the species is limited to forests with a predominance of jagged beech and ferruginous oak; in Pakistan it is found in arid woodlands.

Himalayan bears live sedentary lives. Movements are determined by the seasonal distribution of feed. If there is a shortage, it may leave permanent places a habitat. The Himalayan bear is active at dusk and at night; During the day it usually sleeps in hollows, caves or rocky crevices. During the ripening period of your favorite fruits, you can stay awake during the daytime. An individual habitat usually does not exceed 6-8 square kilometers; in China it is defined as 16-36 square kilometers. In places with abundance plant food often up to 6-8 animals gather. It usually does not go further than 3-5 km from wintering sites. Prefers tall forests with hollow trees suitable for making dens, for resting and sheltering from enemies. Swims well.

It deftly climbs trees, looking for fruits, nuts, and honeycombs, and leads a semi-arboreal lifestyle. The Himalayan bear is able to quickly descend from a tall tree and jumps to the ground from a height of 4-6 m without serious damage. When feeding on trees, it bends down and twists branches with fruits under itself cedar pine, oak, bird cherry, which results in the formation of characteristic bear “nests” in which the animal can stay for a long time. Sometimes it strips bark from trees.

Diet of Himalayan bears

It feeds predominantly (up to 85%) on food of plant origin: nuts, acorns, shoots and rhizomes of herbaceous plants, buds, Rosaceae fruits, bulbs, berries, etc. southern parts range - young bamboo shoots, various fruits.

The Himalayan bear also eats invertebrates (ants, bees, terrestrial mollusks) and small vertebrates, honey, less often carrion, and picks up the remains of prey large predators. It is not prone to active predation and pursues ungulates extremely rarely. May sometimes attack livestock.

In the north of its range, the territorial movement of the Himalayan bear is determined by seasonal changes in food sources. After leaving the den, it lives off the remaining fat reserves. Then it returns to the autumn feeding areas, looks for acorns and nuts preserved from last year, digs up the rhizomes of umbrella grasses, eats buds, young shoots of willows, birches, and other random food. With the beginning of the growing season, it completely switches to green food, supplementing the diet with insects and other terrestrial invertebrates and small vertebrates. As the bird cherry berries ripen, it moves to the valleys of small rivers, then to places where Manchurian walnut, hazel, and later grapes and Korean cedar grow. During this period, it becomes very fat, preparing for winter sleep; the weight of fat reserves reaches 40% of total mass. When the harvest of nuts and acorns fails, he goes to his den early, after the first snow; a good harvest stimulates the extension of the activity of large males until the end of December.

Reproduction of Himalayan bears

The rut occurs in June-July, sometimes extending until August. It proceeds calmly, but fights between males are possible. The duration of pregnancy in the Primorsky Territory is about 7 months; the fetus actively develops only from October. Cubs appear in the den from late January to February, but sometimes birth dates range from late December to mid-March. In Pakistan, mating occurs in October and the young are born in February.

Sexual maturity in female Himalayan bears occurs in the third year of life, males take part in reproduction later. Life expectancy in captivity reaches 33 years.

The spring molting of Himalayan bears lasts almost until the end of summer, the autumn molting - from the end of August to October. In January, the epidermis changes on the bare areas of the limbs.

Class - mammals

Subclass - animals

Infraclass - placental

Squad - predatory

Suborder - canids

Family - bears

Genus - bears

Species – Himalayan bear

Literature:

1. Fauna of the USSR. Baryshnikov G.F. "Bearish" 2007.