Brown bears: description and habitat. Interesting facts about brown bears. Brown bear Can polar bears climb trees?
Menacing brown bears are majestic guardians of forests. This beautiful animal is considered a symbol of Russia, although numerous habitats can be found in all corners of our planet. Since the brown bear is in danger of complete extinction, it is listed in the Red Book. This animal mainly lives in Russia, the USA and Canada. A small number of bears survive in Europe and Asia.
The lifestyle of this important “master of the taiga” is very interesting. How long does a brown bear live? What weight can it reach? We will tell you the most interesting facts about the life of the brown clubfoot in this article.
Brown bear: description of appearance
This animal is very strong. The powerful body is covered with thick hair, and the withers are clearly visible on the back. It contains a large number of muscles that allow the bear to deliver crushing blows with its paws, fell trees or dig the ground.
His head is very large, with small ears and small, deep-set eyes. The bears' tail is short - about 2 cm, barely noticeable under the layer of fur. The paws are very strong, with large curved claws reaching a length of 10 cm. When walking, the bear evenly transfers the weight of the body on the entire sole, like a person, and therefore it belongs to the species of plantigrade animals.
The fur of the famous “master of the taiga” is very beautiful - thick, evenly colored. Brown bears have a tendency to shed - in spring and autumn they renew their fur coat. The first coat change occurs immediately after hibernation and is very intense. Its manifestations are especially noticeable during the rutting period. Autumn molting proceeds slowly and continues until hibernation.
How long does a brown bear live?
The lifespan of a clubfoot depends on its habitat. In the wild, a brown bear can reach an age of 20 to 35 years. If the animal is kept in a zoo, this figure almost doubles. In captivity, a bear can live about 50 years. The onset of puberty occurs between the ages of 6 and 11 years.
Dimensions and weight of the animal
The standard body length of a clubfoot predator ranges from one to two meters. The largest bears live in Alaska, Kamchatka and the Far East. These are grizzlies, true giants, whose height reaches three meters when standing on their hind legs.
The maximum weight of a bear (brown) can be 600 kg. These are real heavyweight giants. The average weight of an adult male is 140-400 kg, and the weight of a female is 90-210 kg. The largest male was discovered on Kodiak Island. His body weight was enormous - 1134 kg. However, animals living in central Russia weigh much less - about 100 kg.
By autumn, this animal accumulates a large fat reserve for the upcoming hibernation, and therefore the weight of the bear (brown) increases by 20%.
Habitats
Bears mainly live in dense forests and swampy areas. They can often be seen in the tundra or alpine forests. In Russia, this animal occupies remote northern regions. Brown bears are very common in Siberia. The calm forests of the taiga allow the clubfoot to feel spacious and free, and here nothing interferes with their existence.
In the USA, bears live mainly in open areas - on the coasts, alpine meadows. In Europe they mainly live in dense mountain forests.
Brown bear populations can also be found in Asia. Their range occupies small areas of Palestine, Iran, northern China and the Japanese island of Hokkaido.
What do bears eat?
Omnivorousness and endurance are the main qualities that help the animal survive in difficult conditions. The brown bear's diet consists of 75% plant foods. The clubfoot can eat tubers, nuts, berries, grass stems, roots and acorns. If this is not enough, the bear can go to the crops of oats or corn, or feed in the cedar forests.
Large individuals have remarkable strength and hunt small young animals. With just one blow of a huge paw, a bear can break the spine of an elk or deer. He hunts roe deer, wild boar, fallow deer, and mountain goats. Without problems, brown bears can feed on rodents, larvae, ants, frogs, worms and lizards.
Skilled fishermen and maskers
Bears often feed on carrion. The clubfoot skillfully covers the found remains of animals with brushwood and tries to stay nearby until it completely eats its “find.” If the bear has recently eaten, it may wait a few days. After some time, the meat of the killed animal will become softer, and he will enjoy it with pleasure.
The most amazing activity of bears is fishing. They go to the Far Eastern spawning rivers, where salmon accumulate en masse. Bears and their offspring especially often hunt here. The mother skillfully catches salmon and takes it to her cubs.
Up to 30 bears can be seen on the river at the same time, and they often engage in battle for prey.
Behavior
The bear has very developed sense of smell. He clearly feels the smell of decomposed meat, even being 3 km away from it. His hearing is also very well developed. Sometimes the bear stands on its hind legs to listen to a sound or sense the direction of the smell of food.
How does a bear behave in nature? The brown “master of the taiga” begins to walk around his property at dusk or early in the morning. In bad weather or during rainy periods, he can wander through the forest all day in search of food.
Speed and agility are the distinctive qualities of the beast
At first glance, this huge animal seems very clumsy and slow. But that's not true. The big brown bear is very agile and easy to move. In pursuit of a victim, it can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h. The bear is also an excellent swimmer. He can easily cover a distance of 6-10 km on water and enjoys swimming on hot summer days.
Young bears quickly climb trees. With age, this ability dulls a little, but does not disappear. However, deep snow is a difficult test for them, since the bear moves through it with great difficulty.
Breeding period
Having regained strength after a long sleep, brown bears are ready to mate. The rut begins in the spring, in May, and lasts about a month. Females signal their readiness to mate with a special secretion that has a strong odor. Using these marks, males find their chosen ones and protect them from rivals.
Sometimes fierce fights arise between two bears for the female, in which the fate, and sometimes the life, of one of them is decided. If one of the males dies, the winner may even eat him.
During the mating season, bears are very dangerous. They make a wild roar and can attack a person.
Reproduction
Exactly after 6-8 months, cubs are born in the den. Usually the female brings 2-4 cubs, completely bald, with underdeveloped organs of hearing and vision. However, after a month, the cubs’ eyes open and the ability to catch sounds appears. Immediately after birth, the cubs weigh about 500 g and their length reaches 25 cm. By 3 months, all baby teeth have erupted in the cubs.
For the first 6 months of their lives, babies feed on mother's milk. Then berries, insects, and greens are added to their diet. Later, the mother brings them fish or her catch. For about 2 years, babies live with their mother, learn habits, the intricacies of hunting, and hibernate with her. The independent life of a young bear begins at the age of 3-4 years. The father bear never takes part in raising his offspring.
Lifestyle
The brown bear is a fickle animal. It feeds in one place, sleeps in another, and can move several kilometers away from its usual habitat to mate. A young bear wanders around the area until it starts a family.
The brown owner marks his domain. Only he can hunt here. He marks boundaries in a special way, tearing off the bark from trees. In areas without plantings, a bear can peel off objects that are in its field of vision - stones, slopes.
In summer, he can rest carelessly in open meadows, lying directly on the ground. The main thing is that this place is secluded and safe for the bear.
Why connecting rod?
Before hibernating for the winter, the bear must gain the required amount of fat reserves. If it is not enough, the animal has to wander further in search of food. This is where the name comes from - connecting rod.
Moving during the cold season, the bear is doomed to death from frost, hunger or a hunter's gun. However, in winter you can find not only connecting rods. Often a bear's sleep can simply be disturbed by people. Then this well-fed animal is forced to look for a new shelter in order to plunge into hibernation again.
Finding a den
The bear chooses this winter refuge with special care. For dens, reliable, quiet places are chosen, located on the borders of swamps, in windbreaks, on river banks, in secluded caves. The shelter should be dry, warm, spacious and safe.
The bear arranges its den with moss, laying out a soft bedding from it. The shelter is camouflaged and insulated with tree branches. Very often a bear uses a good den for several years.
The life of brown bears consists of searching for food, especially before hibernation. Before falling asleep, the animal diligently confuses its tracks: it walks through swamps, meanders and even walks backwards.
Quiet and relaxing holiday
Bears sleep in a cozy den throughout the long, frosty winter. Old males leave their shelter first. The female bear and her offspring stay in the den longer than others. Hibernation of brown bears lasts 5-6 months. It usually starts in October and ends in April.
Bears do not fall into deep sleep. They remain sensitive and vital and are easily disturbed. A bear's body temperature during sleep is between 29-34 degrees. During hibernation, little energy is consumed, and the clubfoot only needs the fat reserve acquired during active time. During the winter rest period, the bear loses about 80 kg of its weight.
Features of wintering
All winter the bear sleeps on its side, curled up comfortably. Poses on the back or sitting with the head down are less common. Breathing and heart rate slow down during hibernation.
Surprisingly, this animal does not defecate during winter sleep. All waste products in the bear's body are reprocessed and converted into valuable proteins necessary for its existence. The rectum is closed by a dense plug consisting of pine needles, compressed grass and wool. It is removed after the animal leaves the den.
Does a bear suck its paw?
Many naively believe that during hibernation, the clubfoot extracts valuable vitamins from its limbs. But that's not true. The fact is that in January the skin on the bear's paw pads is renewed. The old dry skin bursts and causes severe discomfort. To somehow moderate this itching, the bear licks its paw, moistening and softening it with its saliva.
Dangerous and strong animal
A bear is first and foremost a predator, powerful and terrible. A chance meeting with this angry beast will not bring anything good.
Spring rut, winter search for a new shelter - during these periods the brown bear is most dangerous. Descriptions or photographs of animals that live in nurseries and are kind to people should not deceive you - they grew up there under completely different conditions. In nature, a seemingly calm animal can show cruelty and easily blow your head off. Especially if you wandered into his territory.
Females with offspring should also be avoided. The mother is driven by instincts and aggression, so it is better not to get in her way.
Of course, the behavior of a clubfoot depends on the situation and time of year. Bears often run away on their own when they see a person in the distance. But don’t think that since this animal can eat berries and honey, this is its favorite food. The best food for a bear is meat, and he will never miss an opportunity to get it.
Why clubfoot?
This nickname is firmly attached to the bear. And all because when walking he steps alternately on his right and left paws. Therefore, from the outside it seems that the bear is clubbing.
But this slowness and clumsiness is deceptive. When a dangerous situation arises, this animal instantly breaks into a gallop and easily overtakes a person. The peculiarity of the structure of the front and hind legs allows him to show unprecedented agility when climbing uphill. He conquers peaks much faster than he descends from them.
It took more than one millennium for such a complex system of habitat and life of this amazing animal to form. As a result, brown bears have gained the ability to survive in areas with harsh climatic conditions. Nature is amazing, and one can only admire its wisdom and immutable laws that put everything in its place.
The common brown bear is a predatory mammal of the bear family. This large predator is considered one of the most dangerous. There are about 20 subspecies, which differ in habitat and appearance.
Appearance
All subspecies of brown bear have a well-developed, powerful body, a fairly large head with small eyes and rounded ears, and high withers. The tail is short (from 6.5 to 21 cm). Strong paws with powerful non-retractable claws up to 10 cm long, five-toed feet, quite wide. The appearance of the subspecies varies significantly. Males are approximately one and a half times larger than females.
Dimensions
The individuals inhabiting Europe are the smallest, reaching two meters in length and weighing 200 kg. Brown bears living in central Russia are larger and weigh about 300 kg. The largest are grizzlies and Far Eastern bears, their length reaches three meters and their weight reaches 500 kg or more.
Color
What a bear looks like and what color its skin is depends on its habitat. There are bears from light fawn to black and blue. Brown fur color is considered standard.
Grizzlies native to the Rocky Mountains have white fur on their backs at the tips, creating a grayish tint. Brown bears living in the Himalayas have a completely grayish color, while those living in Syria have a light, brownish-red skin.
Brown bears shed once a year, from spring to autumn. Spring molt is often separated from autumn molt. Spring molting occurs most intensely during the rut and lasts quite a long time. The autumn period proceeds almost unnoticed and ends by the time the bears’ winter hibernation begins.
Lifespan
The lifespan of a bear directly depends on the conditions in which it lives. How many years do bears live? The average life expectancy in the wild under favorable conditions is 20-30 years.
How many years does a brown bear live in captivity? With good care, brown bears reach the age of 45-50 years.
Subspecies
Population differences in the brown bear are very large, and they were previously divided into many separate species. Today, all browns have been combined into one species, with several subspecies. Let's look at the most common ones.
European (Eurasian) brown
A large, powerful animal with a strongly pronounced hump.
Main characteristics:
- body length - 150-250 cm;
- weight - 150-300 kg;
- height at withers - 90-110 cm.
The fur is yellowish-gray to dark brown, quite long and thick.
Caucasian brown
There are two forms of this subspecies - large and small.
Greater Caucasian:
- body length - 185-215 cm;
- weight - 120-240 kg.
Lesser Caucasian:
- body length - 130-140 cm;
- weight - no more than 65 kg.
This subspecies combines the external characteristics of Syrian and European bears. Short, coarse coat ranging from light yellowish to brownish-gray. There is a dark spot in the withers area.
Siberian brown
One of the largest subspecies.
Its dimensions:
- body length - 200-250 cm;
- weight - 300-400 kg.
It has a large head, long and soft shiny coat from light brown to brown-brown. Some individuals have a yellowish or black tint in color.
Ussuri brown
Also known as the Asian black grizzly or Amur.
- length - up to 2 m;
- weight - 300-400 kg.
It stands out for its developed skull with an elongated nose and very dark, almost black skin. The long hair on the round ears will also help distinguish it from other subspecies.
Far Eastern (Kamchatka) brown
The largest subspecies found in Russia.
Its dimensions:
- length - up to 2.5 m;
- weight - 350-450 kg. Some males reach 500 kg or more.
This subspecies has a massive head with a rather short nose and a wide front part raised above it, and small rounded ears. Dense, long and soft wool from fawn to blackish-brown. Claws are dark up to 10 cm.
Habitats
The brown bear inhabits almost the entire forest zone from western Russia and the forests of the Caucasus to the Pacific Ocean. It can also be found in Japan on the island of Hokkaido, in some Asian countries, in Europe, Canada and in the northwestern states of America.
For life it chooses forested areas, with windbreaks and shrubs, prefers coniferous forests. It can wander into the tundra or settle in high mountain forests, with an undergrowth of edible plants.
The habitat is not tied to a specific place; often the feeding places and the bear’s home are located far from each other and the bear has to make long journeys during the day.
Habits and lifestyle
The brown bear is a loner. Males live separately, and females raise cubs. Each adult has its own territory, the size of which can reach several hundred square kilometers. Males “own” a much larger territory than females. The boundaries of the territory are marked by scratches on the trees and the scent of the owner.
The habits of bears are typical of a predator. During the day, as a rule, animals rest, choosing secluded areas among grass or bushes. They go out in search of food in the morning or evening. Despite poor eyesight, bears are excellent at navigating using their sense of smell and hearing.
Despite its impressive dimensions and apparent clumsiness, it is a fairly agile and fast animal, capable of climbing trees, swimming and running at speeds of up to 60 km/h.
Nutrition
The diet of a brown bear is very diverse, because bears eat almost everything. Its main diet consists of plant foods: berries, nuts, acorns, stems, tubers and roots of plants. If possible, he will not miss the opportunity to wander into the fields to feast on oats and corn. It also eats various insects, frogs, lizards and rodents.
Adults hunt young moose, fallow deer, deer, roe deer and wild boar. A large predator is capable of breaking the backbone of its prey with one blow of its paw, then hides the carcass, covering it with brushwood, and guards it until it is completely eaten. For the Far Eastern brown, the main diet in the summer-autumn period is salmon going to spawn.
When the food supply is insufficient, bears often destroy apiaries and attack livestock.
These animals have amazing memory. Having found mushrooms or berries that bears eat in the forest, they remember the places and then easily find their way to them. The lifespan of a brown bear in the wild largely depends on adequate nutrition.
Reproduction
How do bears reproduce? The mating season begins in May and lasts a couple of months. The rut is active, accompanied by fights between males and roaring. After 6-8 months, cubs are born. Bear cubs are born in the middle of winter, when the bear is hibernating.
Cubs are born weighing only 400-500 grams, blind, with sparse hair. As a rule, there are 2-4 cubs in a litter. For more than a year after birth, they feed on their mother’s milk, but immediately after leaving the den, the mother begins to accustom them to various foods.
The cubs and their mother live for three to four years, then they separate and begin to live independently. Females reach sexual maturity in the third or fourth year, males develop 1-2 years longer.
Hibernation
From mid-summer and throughout autumn, bears actively prepare for hibernation, feeding heavily and accumulating fat. The hibernation of a bear differs from the hibernation of other mammals; it is not suspended animation, but simply a sound sleep, during which neither the breathing nor the pulse of the animal changes practically. A bear in hibernation does not fall into complete stupor.
Preparation
Shelters for the winter are arranged in remote and dry places, under tree roots or under windbreaks. The clubfoot can dig a den on its own, or it can occupy a crevice in the mountains or a small cave. Pregnant females build a spacious and deep den, insulating it from the inside with moss, leaves and spruce branches.
One-year-old cubs always spend the winter in their mother's den, often joined by two-year-old cubs. Adults lie in the den one at a time.
Duration of hibernation
How long does a bear sleep? It all depends on weather conditions and other factors; the brown one can hibernate for up to six months.
A bear's hibernation in winter and its duration depend on the weather, age, gender, state of health and the amount of fat gained during the summer-autumn period. So, for example, an old individual that has gained enough fat will go into hibernation long before the snow cover falls, and young individuals go to the den only in November or December. Pregnant females settle in for the winter first.
Bear rod
A shatun is an animal that has not had time to accumulate the required amount of fat, which is why it cannot hibernate and is forced to look for food for itself all winter.
Why is a connecting rod bear dangerous? In severe frosts and when there is an acute shortage of food, shatuns often approach populated areas in search of food. There are more than one known cases of a connecting rod attacking domestic animals and even humans.
Video
1.The habitats of the brown bear are found almost everywhere. It can be seen in Asia and Europe, as well as in North America.
2.The genus of bears appeared 5-6 million years ago. Its first representative is currently considered to be the bear Ursus minimus, a relatively small animal whose fossil remains were found in France.
3. The brown bear looks very impressive and original: a huge powerful body with high, proud withers, its head is very large, but its eyes and ears are small.
4.The lifespan of a bear can reach thirty years. True, according to verified data, there was one bear who lived in captivity with a farmer for 47 years. But this fact is unique.
5. Recently, quite often bears can be seen in the taiga, among old coniferous trees, rivers and near swamps.
6. Bears’ paws are very powerful. They have huge claws, the length of which reaches up to twenty centimeters.
7. Bears have very good vision, but their hearing and sense of smell are even better. Therefore, they can easily notice their prey and hear its approach.
8.North America is considered the “bear continent”. A third of all bears live there.
9. Bears rarely attack people, considering them to be an unusual animal with unusual manners and gestures.
10. Since 1994, an exhibition of Teddy bears has been held annually in Münster.
11.The color of the fur, as well as its size, depends on its habitat and ranges from light brown to black.
12.Depending on where the brown bear lives, its rather large size and original appearance change.
13. All types of bears are incredibly smart. These animals are very inquisitive, always trying to explore new and unusual objects, and have a very good memory.
14.The fastest way to determine the intentions of bears is to observe the fur on the back of their necks. Of all wild animals, bears are closest to humans in their psychology.
15. The word “bear” is common Slavic, meaning “eats honey.” The bear is one of those lucky ones that a person learns about from the cradle. It seems that there is not a single animal about which so many stories and fairy tales have been written.
16. The brown bear is a fickle animal. It feeds in one place, sleeps in another, and can move several kilometers away from its usual habitat to mate.
17. The largest and most powerful bears live in Alaska and Kamchatka. The weight of these bears reaches 300-350 kilograms.
18.Bears can run at a running speed of forty kilometers per hour. If you compare it with a person, then the fastest and most resilient person can run at a speed of twenty kilometers per hour.
19. Bears’ vision is as good as that of humans, and their sense of smell and hearing is much better developed.
20. Malayan bears are the smallest species of this animal.
21. The cult of the bear existed among the Slavs and Germans, among the indigenous peoples of the northern Urals, Siberia and the Far East. Among the Mansi, Kets and Nivkhs there was a widespread idea of the bear as the ancestor of people, and therefore the animal was especially revered.
22. The color of the bear’s fur is uniform, the fur is very thick. By the way, bears have two layers of fur: one short, it retains and retains heat, the other is long, it protects the bear’s skin from water.
23. Bears are very smart, when they find a trap with bait in the forest, they roll stones into it so that the trap slams shut, and they themselves take the bait and eat it.
24. The bear eats a variety of foods: plant and animal foods, and loves fish. Bears often destroy anthills, hunt for larvae and eat them. The bear is very fond of plant foods: he eats wild garlic, thistle, and when berries appear, he happily eats lingonberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Bears love ripe oats; they also actively consume nuts, acorns, and apples. The bear loves to spend time in the meadow, eating grass, like a cow or horse: he plucks the grass with his paw and sends it into his mouth.
25. Bears feel very good in water, swim well and can catch fish with their paws for food. Therefore, they prefer to live in old forests with the obligatory presence of a river in them.
26. A brown bear marks its territory. Only he can hunt here. He marks boundaries in a special way, tearing off the bark from trees. In areas without plantings, a bear can peel off objects that are in its field of vision - stones, slopes.
27. The life of brown bears consists of searching for food, especially before hibernation. Before falling asleep, the animal diligently confuses its tracks: it walks through the swamps, weaves, circles and even walks backwards.
28. The closest relatives of bears are foxes, dogs, and wolves.
29. Bears are called clubfoot because they rest on either 2 left paws or 2 right paws. As they walk, it seems as if they are waddling.
30.Omnivorousness and endurance are the main qualities that help this animal survive in difficult conditions. The brown bear's diet consists of 75% plant foods.
31.The life of a brown bear living in Russia begins in a den, where newborn cubs (blind, toothless and almost hairless, weighing about 500 grams) feed on their mother’s fatty milk.
32. At the age of four months, wild bears can already follow their mother into the forest in search of food. During this period, the mother bear feeds them with milk and teaches them correct social behavior. The cubs spend almost half of their waking time playing. This is how they learn about the world around them and develop important skills needed for hunting. The rest of the time is spent searching for food and sleep.
33. When young, bears climb trees well. As they get older, they do it reluctantly.
34. The cubs are finally separated from their mother at 3-4 years of age.
35. During hibernation, all waste products in the bear’s body undergo repeated processing and turn into valuable proteins necessary for its existence. The rectum is closed by a dense plug consisting of pine needles, compressed grass and wool. It is removed after the animal leaves the den.
Den of brown bears
36.All winter long, the brown bear sleeps on its side, curled up comfortably. Poses on the back or sitting with the head down are less common. Breathing and heart rate slow down during hibernation.
37 The clumsiness of bears is deceptive; when danger arises, they very easily break into a gallop and can easily catch up with a person.
38. It’s hard for a bear in the spring, after hibernation. At this time of year, the bear hunts ungulates - roe deer or elk, and if there is not enough food for it, it can even feed on carrion.
39. The bear’s legs are crooked, thanks to this “defect”, the bear can climb trees very well.
40.Bears are not susceptible to bee stings.
Spectacled bear
41. Spectacled bears live in South America.
412An adult panda can eat up to 20 kilograms of bamboo at one time.
43.Usually a female bear gives birth to offspring once every two years. The older cubs (mostly sisters) often look after the younger ones.
44.The mental abilities of brown bears are evidenced by the following fact: they know from memory everything in their vicinity of the clearing with berries, fruits and mushrooms, and they know when they are ripe.
45. Having regained strength after a long sleep, brown bears are ready to mate. The rut begins in the spring, in May, and lasts about a month. Females signal their readiness to mate with a special secretion that has a strong odor. Using these marks, males find their chosen ones and protect them from rivals.
46. Even in ancient times, bears were depicted on coins. This happened approximately in 150 BC.
47. During the mating season, bears are very dangerous. They make a wild roar and can attack a person.
48. The bear chooses its winter shelter with special care. For dens, reliable, quiet places are chosen, located on the borders of swamps, in windbreaks, on river banks, in secluded caves. The shelter should be dry, warm, spacious and safe. The bear arranges its den with moss, laying out a soft bedding from it. The shelter is camouflaged and insulated with tree branches. Very often a bear uses a good den for several years.
49.Before hibernation, the bear must gain the required amount of fat reserves. If it is not enough, the animal has to wander further in search of food. This is where the name comes from - connecting rod.
50.Sometimes fierce battles arise between two bears for the female, in which the fate, and sometimes the life, of one of them is decided. If one of the males dies, the winner may even eat him.
Are the authorities hindering or helping WWF to protect polar bears?
The state protects the polar bear as a species included in the List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (International Red Book) and in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. The president's interest in the polar bear is improving the situation, as many people are becoming more attentive to the very task of preserving this species. Scientists studying polar bears receive additional funding, which means the opportunity to conduct new research, since in this way an important government task is being solved. But the main thing that the state can do for the bear is to create an effective system for monitoring the number of the species, combat poaching and the illegal trade in skins.
At the initiative of WWF, a Polar Bear Conservation Strategy was prepared, which was approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources. But the implementation of the Action Plan until 2020 in accordance with this Strategy requires money, so it is still poorly implemented in practice.
Has WWF already managed to do anything significant to save the polar bear?
Yes, it worked. For example, we have been running the Bear Patrol program for several years now, which is aimed at preventing conflicts between bears and humans. Due to the melting of the ice, the bear began to come ashore more often and approach human habitations in search of food. Encounters often end badly, sometimes for humans, but usually for bears, since people in those places usually go armed.
We took an active part in the development of the “Strategy for the Conservation of Polar Bears in the Russian Federation.” This strategy was approved by the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources in July 2010.
It describes specific mechanisms that help preserve bear populations. It is indicated what legislative amendments need to be made, how to improve the system of protected natural areas, what scientific research to carry out, how to work with the population of the “bear” regions in order to achieve the goal. WWF is trying to ensure that the provisions of the strategy are implemented in practice and expects that this will bring real benefits to the polar bear in the near future.
WWF monitors poaching locally and, together with the organization TRAFFIC, monitors advertisements on the Internet for the sale of illegally obtained skins.
What is there not enough funding for?
Funding is needed for anti-poaching activities, in particular to prevent illegal hunting in the field. The level of poaching is assessed jointly with regional hunting organizations, which have the opportunity to directly communicate with local residents and receive fairly objective information from them.
WWF could, with additional funding, support local inspectorates that prevent illegal hunting and provide them with money to purchase equipment. The funds would also be useful for paying fees to volunteer employees from local public anti-poaching inspections.
In addition, we need to know how many polar bears live in the Russian Arctic. Only with this information can one develop protective measures and make informed management decisions in different regions. This means we need money to research bear populations.
Counting polar bears is an unusually expensive thing, for which in some cases there is not enough money for specialists in richer Western countries. To count one population in the Russian Arctic, a minimum of $10-15 million is required, and in total it is necessary to estimate the size of four populations. Sometimes, however, Norwegian researchers help us a little, covering part of the Russian territory when conducting their censuses.
Any living organism, especially one so original and unique, has a certain value. Each species plays its role in the ecosystem, that is, it is important for its proper functioning. The loss of species is especially painful for the Arctic. In the tropics, for example, at every level of the ecosystem - at the level of plants that produce organic matter, at the level of herbivorous animals, at the level of predators that feed on herbivores - there are many different organisms. In the Arctic, the range of species at each level is extremely limited.
For Arctic marine ecosystems, the polar bear is practically the only large predator. If it is excluded from the ecosystem, unpredictable negative consequences are likely to occur. In the Far East, for example, after a decline in the tiger population, outbreaks of deer and wild boars began, which eat up large quantities of plants and provoke forest degradation.
In addition, the polar bear is a beautiful, noble animal; it has become a living symbol of the Arctic. To emphasize the cultural and symbolic value of the polar bear, WWF included it in the list of Flagship species - “flag”, especially recognizable animals. It will be very sad if we lose this species forever.
How can I personally help a polar bear?
To help a polar bear, you don’t have to leave your business and family and go to the Arctic. You can help him, for example, by saving electricity, water, handing over waste paper and taking care of natural resources. By saving electricity and water, we reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, which means we help stop climate change and the melting of ice in the Arctic. You can also save the polar bear by doing donation for its protection: to support the Bear Patrols, the creation of specially protected natural areas and peace zones in the Arctic. You can receive a cute felt bear as a gift (for a contribution of 2,500 rubles or more) or “adopt” a polar bear (for a contribution of 30,000 rubles). All funds raised go to WWF's Arctic program, within which we preserve this species.
If you live near the habitats of polar bears, it is worth knowing and following the rules of behavior when meeting an animal, both for your own safety and in order not to put the animal in a risky position.
State of the polar bear population
What impacts the polar bear population the most?
Like any population, it is primarily affected by the availability and accessibility of food. The main prey of polar bears is seals. Bears have adapted to hunting seals from the ice. Therefore, the key condition for ensuring that the normal way of life of bears is not disrupted is the presence of ice in the seas where seals live. Due to climate change, the area of perennial ice is catastrophically declining; in summer, huge expanses of open water are formed. When afloat, the bear cannot catch anyone. It is not very beneficial for him to follow the ice closer to the pole - most seals live in coastal areas. The bear often remains on the shore, where it is extremely difficult for him to hunt. At this time, he either tries to catch walrus cubs, or eats carrion, or approaches human settlements to beg in garbage dumps.
The number of bears is also negatively affected by poaching, the scale of which is quite difficult to assess. In Chukotka, about several dozen bears are probably hunted illegally every year (maximum two to three hundred). Since the number of polar bears around the world ranges from 22-31 thousand, this factor for this population may be critical.
Finally, pollution of habitats with harmful organic compounds and heavy metals also plays a role. Hazardous substances accumulate in bear meat and fat. Although Russian studies in recent years have shown that the situation with pollutants and pathogenic microorganisms specifically for the polar bear is not so bad. Brown and Himalayan bears are more exposed to these threats. And Russian polar bear populations turned out to be even more “ecologically friendly” than Canadian ones.
Is it true that many bears are now drowning due to melting ice?
This is clearly not a factor that significantly reduces their numbers. The polar bear is an excellent swimmer, capable of spending many hours in a row in the water. Of course, bear cubs can drown during particularly long swims, but it is unrealistic to count how many of them drown. This doesn't happen often. In general, a bear can swim hundreds of kilometers in some cases, but such travel is not the norm for it.
How would it be possible to monitor a polar bear? Has monitoring been carried out before and how?
A complete census of the entire Russian Arctic has never been carried out. The most complete data was collected in the Soviet Union, but it is already outdated. In Russia, the number of bears is periodically counted, dens are counted, samples are taken to assess the physiological state of animals, but this does not amount to a good monitoring system, that is, constant control throughout the entire range of the species. We have prepared a similar monitoring program for the Russian Arctic, but there is no funding for its implementation (see the section WWF and polar bears, the question “What is there not enough funding for?”).
Local census on Franz Josef Land was carried out 4 years ago with the participation of Norwegian scientists. In the 80-90s of the last century, systematic surveys of dens were carried out on the Chukotka coast, in the nature reserve on Wrangel Island, but then this work was no longer carried out regularly.
To collect scattered information, it is possible to attract volunteer observers from among local residents, which is what we are doing as part of the Bear Patrol project. The data they collect helps provide some insight into the bear population.
How do you distinguish one polar bear from another without recording the same polar bear twice?
When specialists conduct observations in an area inhabited by a more or less constant number of bears, over time they begin to distinguish one individual from another “by eye”, based on individual characteristics. During large-scale studies, bears are marked with radio collars and a whole range of other marks - on the ear, on the inner surface of the lips. If the bear is recaptured by scientists or killed, it will be possible to determine when and where it was last seen.
At what rate is the polar bear dying out as a species and when might it become extinct completely?
It is still premature to talk about the extinction of the polar bear. If the ice disappears in the Arctic, there is a high probability that the bear will become extinct. Although, for example, on the shores of Hudson Bay there has long been a curious population that has learned to do without summer ice. Bears build dens under the trees there.
For now, most likely, there is a certain reduction in numbers, which is difficult to assess due to the lack of accurate data.
Are there more polar bears in Canada than in Russia? Where is the situation with polar bears better?
There are slightly more bears in Canada than in Russia. In Canada and Greenland, a somewhat more comfortable environment for the species has developed, since there are many islands separated by small straits with a lot of ice, where bears can move freely. Judging by climate forecasts, it is in this region that the species will survive the longest. Therefore, Canada and Greenland are making joint efforts to create a conservation area called the Last Ice Area.
At the same time, it is in Canada that sport hunting of polar bears is practiced. It also provides quotas for the indigenous population to hunt bears as part of traditional fishing. Local residents, in turn, have the right to sell their quotas to visiting hunters.
Which country is most concerned about polar bears? Which country is the most decisive in terms of taking real action on this issue?
Decisiveness in action is a relative concept here. In Norway, for example, hunting polar bears is completely prohibited. But in this country there is no indigenous population engaged in traditional crafts. In Canada and Greenland the situation is different; they cannot completely ban hunting by local peoples, although they are also concerned about the situation of the species.
Perhaps the most decisive are the actions of the United States, where in Alaska in the 80s they first introduced a quota for the shooting of bears for the indigenous population. This marked the first precedent in the history of the United States when hunting restrictions were imposed on local residents. Then the quota was about 120 - 140 animals. Now its size is 58 animals.
Poaching and other threats
How do poachers kill polar bears? With a gun or setting traps?
They shoot from guns.
Who helps orphaned polar bears? Is it possible to release them later?
As a rule, there is no need to release orphaned bear cubs into the wild: the cubs disperse well to zoos. This cannot be done after being kept in captivity. In the reserve on the island. Wrangel once released a bear cub, which spent some time with people. In the evening of the same day, he returned to the village, where everyone fed him. And then he grew into a healthy animal who walked around the neighborhood and did not let anyone pass without a can of condensed milk or a pack of cookies.
It was necessary to carry treats with you and, if the bear suddenly approached, to give him a “bribe.” A little bear cub is very funny, but when a huge animal comes up to people and tries to hug them, it’s not fun at all.
Who and how is helping wounded polar bears now? Who treats them and where?
They are treated, perhaps, only in zoos. If someone picks up a sick or injured bear cub, they will most likely send it to the nearest zoo. The task of saving a bear injured in the wild is incredibly difficult.
What to do if you find the skin of a polar bear?
Contact the organization TRAFFIC, which monitors the illegal trade in organisms and their derivatives.
What needs to change so that poachers are caught, jailed and punished with heavy fines? Or do we need to catch their “patrons” and customers?
Of course, tougher punishments would not be out of place. Fines for poaching are now really low. But when there are not enough resources to catch poachers, such measures do not guarantee results. China has introduced the death penalty for shooting tigers, but this does not always stop people.
What needs to be done to reduce poaching to a minimum?
It is believed that in order to combat commercial poaching, it is necessary to create insurmountable obstacles to the export and trade of skins. This is very difficult: skins, as a rule, are exported on ships, and it can be almost impossible to inspect an entire ship in search of a skin.
In Canada and Alaska, it is possible to cope with poaching through a certain compromise with the indigenous people. They are given quotas to shoot a certain number of polar bears. At the same time, in Alaska, representatives of local peoples have the right to use hunting products only for their own purposes. They do not have the right to sell the harvested bear skin or even give it to anyone who does not belong to the indigenous population.
Who is now fighting poachers in the Arctic territories of Russia?
There is practically no effective control. As a rule, control is provided by one inspector per area, the area of which is sometimes comparable to the area of a European state.
How many bears are shot for their skins, and how many for meat in general?
It would be more correct to put the question this way: how much is mined for their own use, and how much is just to sell the skin. According to our data for Chukotka, it turns out that in eastern Chukotka about 15% of bears are hunted for the sale of skins. And for meat - more than 70%. In this case, the skin can also be used on the farm, but is often thrown away altogether, so that, so to speak, no evidence remains.
In the country as a whole, the numbers are likely to be different; the share of animals hunted for skins will be higher, since the further to the west, the fewer lovers of bear meat.
Why do poachers want polar bears?
Many Chukchi shoot a bear just to eat it. This is the main motivation in about 75% of cases. The skin is of secondary importance. In the past it was used as a covering for sleds or for making pants. Now this is no longer relevant. Moreover, most bears are shot in Chukotka. In the western Arctic, if hunting is carried out, it is primarily for the sake of skins for sale.
Are polar bears threatened by oil production in the Arctic? If so, how?
Threatened, first of all, due to pollution, due to the impact on the food supply, and also due to the fact that it creates a disturbance factor. Of course, if a polar bear gets dirty in oil, it is unlikely to die immediately like birds, although it will have a very hard time. But the main thing is that if oil pollution kills the fish and leads to the disappearance of the seals, the bear will be left without food.
Polar bear lunch
Can a polar bear fish?
He is almost not adapted to this. Can only catch fish by accident. Fish is of little interest to him, but if the bear is hungry, he will eat everything.
What does a polar bear eat? Tell me, does a polar bear eat anything other than meat?
If the food supply is really bad, the bear will even try to eat herbaceous plants or kelp. But this is far from the norm for him; rather, it’s just a way to somehow fill his stomach.
By the way, if the food supply is good, then the bear will not eat meat either, but will only consume the fat of the caught seal. Especially in winter, when digesting meat is not very profitable from an energy point of view: digesting meat food requires so much energy that it is easier for the bear to go and get another seal.
What is considered a delicacy among polar bears?
Hardly anyone discussed such issues with them. But, most likely, seals are considered a delicacy among bears. Including their already decomposed corpses, which the beast also eats with great pleasure.
What animals does a polar bear eat?
He himself catches mainly seals. As a rule, a bear cannot catch large walruses, not to mention whales, although he still sometimes catches small walruses. It is too difficult for him to hunt land animals. But if a bear comes across the carcass of a dead walrus, whale, deer, or arctic fox, then he will willingly eat it. It can also eat human corpses, for example, if it kills someone by accident. If a person becomes saturated with the smell of a seal (this often happens with Chukchi hunters), the bear may mistakenly attack and eat him.
The bear feeds on common animals that are not endangered. The same animals are regularly hunted by humans.
Polar bear and man
Does a polar bear distinguish between good and evil people, poachers from forest rangers? Or maybe we all look the same to them?
It is unlikely that bears are so well-versed in psychology that they can immediately distinguish good people from evil ones. But they are curious animals with certain rudiments of intelligence. If they live in the same place and see the same people, then over time they begin to distinguish them.
Will a bear attack a person if he approaches him carefully and does not have a gun or some other object for protection?
Depends on the specific situation. As a rule, no. But it should be borne in mind that if a bear, for example, is eating something, and at that time a person with the best intentions approaches him, then the bear can easily attack: he will decide that they are trying to take away his food. If a person appears in front of a bear unexpectedly, from around a corner, the animal can kill or injure a person from fright, without having time to assess whether he poses a real threat.
What to do when meeting a polar bear? Should I run away or, on the contrary, freeze and stand still? How do you become a member of an expedition if you meet a polar bear “nose to nose”?
There is no need to run away under any circumstances. You should not make sudden movements, you need to behave calmly. If there is still room for maneuver, then it is better to slowly move out of the way of the animal to the side. If the animal is already very close, then it is better to stand. Experienced people sometimes hiss at a bear - they emit a certain bear signal, a specific hiss, which males use to warn their relatives. But such hissing must first be learned. In extreme cases, it is useful to have a large stick with you so that you can put it in front of you and try to hit the animal on the nose with it. This also drives away the bear in some cases.
Is it possible to tame a polar bear if you start from childhood so that it becomes friends with a person? Or is he too wild an animal that cannot be completely trusted, but only trained and kept in a cage?
Theoretically, it might be possible, but it’s hardly worth doing. There is more than one known case when wild animals, which were kept and raised as tame animals for many years, eventually attacked and killed people. A famous example is the lion King II, which was kept by the Berberov family.
The polar bear is also a very large animal. If he is good friends with a person and suddenly decides to just play, then this will end badly for the person, even if the bear does not have the slightest aggressive intentions.
What is being done to protect people from polar bears?
It is necessary that in populated areas there be as little as possible garbage dumps and food waste that is easily accessible to the bear, which, first of all, attracts the animal. Waste from hunting and cutting of carcasses should be disposed of as far as possible from human habitations. The cleaner the village is, the lower the likelihood of encountering a bear.
Moving in places where there is a risk of a bear must be done with caution. The presence of a bear can be monitored by the behavior of dogs: if they become quiet, stop barking, or hide, it means that there is an animal walking somewhere nearby.
How do Chukotka residents feel about polar bears?
Positively, like a good gourmet product. Along with their main food - seal, whale, and deer meat, indigenous peoples traditionally consumed polar bear meat. But, in fact, for indigenous peoples the bear is a rather sacred animal, and not everything is so simple with it. In the past, after killing an animal, it was necessary to please and appease its spirit in every possible way, which used to take several days. This was the traditional mechanism for regulating production. Until all the rituals have been completed, the next animal cannot be hunted.
Since 1956, polar bear hunting has been prohibited in Russia, so hunting it, including by local residents, is illegal. Today, many residents of Chukotka, seeing the decline in the number of this majestic beast, actively help WWF fight poachers and protect it.
I once saw a photograph of border guards feeding a polar bear with condensed milk. What does a bear think when they see a person? Are polar bears generally curious?
Bears are very curious and, when they see something incomprehensible, they often try to come closer. It all depends on the individual experience of the animal. If the animal has already encountered a person, been scared, chased, or shot at, then most likely it will eventually turn around and run away. If a person has never done anything bad to him before, the bear will not be afraid. If people fed it, of course, the bear will happily approach them.
What the bear thinks about this is unknown. As for feeding with condensed milk - yes, this happens. Then these fed bears have to be killed. Over time, animals get used to it, become impudent, and begin not just to beg for a treat, but to demand it. Not everyone among people is able to react correctly to their actions. When a polar bear gallops towards you, it is difficult to suspect friendly intentions, although the animal may just be counting on a treat. As a result, incidents happen with the most tragic outcome - both for people and animals.
Do bears feel comfortable in the zoo? Do you think this is humane? How do polar bears live in zoos if they need cold?
They try to create comfortable conditions for polar bears in enclosures: they fill a pool with cool water and throw in snow. World experience shows that polar bears feel quite comfortable in zoos, at least in temperate latitudes, although they are, of course, hot in the summer. But brown bears can also be uncomfortable in captivity in the summer.
Polar Bear House
WWF doesn't want to breed polar bears in other regions of Russia - for example, in Kamchatka or the Barents Sea?
In the Barents Sea - on the islands of Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land - bears already live, these territories are part of their natural range. As for Kamchatka, it is unclear for what purpose to breed them there and how to do it. The polar bear's problem is the reduction of ice, but there is certainly no more ice in Kamchatka than on the coast of the Arctic Ocean.
Are there any excursions to nature reserves where you can see polar bears in the wild?
Eat. From time to time, Western companies conduct cruises that include, among others, Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land. You can also come to Spitsbergen, and theoretically to Wrangel Island, although cruises there are extremely rare. In any case, all these trips are extremely expensive.
Can a polar bear live near a city? How much space does one polar bear need?
How much space a bear needs depends on the availability and accessibility of food. In the Arctic, food resources for bears are, as a rule, dispersed over large areas, and the animal makes long journeys: from the island. Wrangel - to Alaska, from there - south through the Bering Strait, then back to the north, etc. This is their normal life regime.
Polar bears also live near cities, for example in Chukotka. The largest Russian city within their range is Pevek (Chukotka).
Is it possible to relocate a polar bear to Antarctica and penguins to the Arctic? Have there been such attempts?
No, there have been no such attempts, and, apparently, there will not be any. It is unlikely that they could bring anything good. The meaning of such relocations is not particularly clear, although purely theoretically they may be possible.
General questions about polar bears
How many bear cubs survive and how many die in nature?
The mortality rate among cubs in the first year of life is at least 30%. It may increase due to the anxiety of bears caused by human activity, due to the need to overcome long distances by swimming due to the reduction in ice area (such swims are dangerous especially for small bear cubs with an insufficiently developed layer of subcutaneous fat).
The reduction in the area of summer ice is generally very unfavorable for polar bear breeding. Mother bears leave the ice in the fall to reach certain areas on the shore and lie down in a den. But due to climate change, they have to travel ever greater distances. As a result, some female bears either lie down in their dens exhausted, or do not have time to get to the den sites in time. This greatly reduces the offspring's chances of survival.
Due to climate change, the likelihood of spring rains, which can damage the den, is also increasing. This is very dangerous for small bear cubs.
How fast can a polar bear run? What about swimming?
Swims at a speed of 4-5 km/hour, walks about 10 km/hour. He can run 40 km/h, but he gets tired quickly.
How quickly do polar bears reproduce? How long does a bear's pregnancy last and how does it proceed? How and for how long does she care for the cubs?
On average, bears breed once every three years. Pregnancy lasts about six months. The female bear goes to the den where the birth takes place around November and spends there without going out for at least 3 months. At this time, she lives only thanks to fat reserves.
Newborns are helpless and weigh about 600 g. As a rule, a female gives birth to one to three cubs. In the 1970s, on Wrangel Island, scientists calculated: litters with two cubs amounted to 70.3%, with one - 25.5%, with three - 4.2%. During her life, the female brings no more than 8-12 cubs.
Mother bears with cubs emerge from their dens from the end of February to the end of April. The cubs walk with their mother for about 2.5-3 years, then they begin to live independently. Mating in polar bears occurs from April to early June. If the cubs die within two months of leaving the den, the female bear has a chance to become pregnant again in the same season.
Can polar bears climb trees?
Probably not.
Why is a polar bear sometimes yellow?
In fact, yellowish color is the natural coloring of the polar bear. Young cubs can be snow-white, but adult animals are normally yellowish, with a slightly lemony tint. Also, the color of the coat can be influenced by the composition of the animal's food.
By the way, due to the structure of the hairs, a polar bear can sometimes (in hot, humid climates, for example, in zoos) acquire a greenish tint. A polar bear's hairs are hollow inside and can harbor microscopic algae.
Probably, polar bears, like all furry animals, shed a couple of times a year, changing their summer coat to a winter one and vice versa in the spring. Are polar bears different in color in summer and winter?
The polar bear is always surrounded by snow and swims in cold water. Therefore, although he sheds, his fur does not undergo significant changes over the seasons. Shedding occurs gradually over a long period of time.
How do polar bears communicate with each other? Sounds? Gestures?
Polar bears in general communicate little with each other; they normally lead a solitary lifestyle. But when they do interact with each other, they do so through voice, gestures and touch.
What diseases does a polar bear suffer from?
The most dangerous and common disease is trichinosis.
Why do polar bears have black skin? I've heard that they're not really white, they just seem that way.
The polar bear has yellowish translucent fur. Its hairs transmit solar light radiation to the skin and delay thermal radiation from the skin into the external environment. Dark (highly pigmented) skin helps absorb solar energy more efficiently. It turns out that the skin of a polar bear works like a greenhouse to prevent the animal from freezing.
What is the life expectancy of a polar bear?
In nature, 25-30 years, in captivity up to 40 or a little more.
How many teeth do polar bears have?
What is the weight of the largest and smallest polar bears?
Female polar bears weigh 200-300 kg, males - up to 400-500 kg. There are known cases when the weight of a male was 800 kg.
What is the relationship between a female and male polar bear after the birth of a cub?
The female and male separate before the baby appears. In the future, they try not to intersect, since adult males willingly snack on small cubs.
What is the difference in character between a polar bear and a brown bear?
The brown bear is an exclusively terrestrial species. He does not specialize in any particular type of food; he consumes large quantities of plant foods - berries, nuts. The polar bear is a much more specialized animal, almost entirely marine, semi-aquatic, focused mainly on predation. In terms of aggressiveness, a polar bear is, as a rule, somewhat calmer than a brown bear.
How are Russian, American and Norwegian polar bears different?
Scientists have identified more than 20 local populations of polar bears. On the territory of Russia, according to the Red Book of the Russian Federation, there are three of them: Barents Sea-Kara, Laptev and Chukotka-Alaska. Representatives of different populations differ from each other in various subtleties in morphology and genetics. For example, bears from the Chukchi-Alaskan population are larger than those from the Barents Sea.
Radio collars, once ordered by domestic researchers based on measurements taken in Chukotka, turned out to be too big for bears in Franz Josef Land.
However, there are no fundamental, global differences between bears in different parts of their range.
What does "Umka" mean?
“Umky” means “polar bear” in Chukchi. In Eskimo it is called “nanuk”.
The Gobi brown bear is also called the mazalay. This animal is a subspecies of the brown bear and lives in the Mongolian Gobi Desert.
Mazalai are perhaps the only bears that can be found only in Mongolia. Nowhere else, in any zoo in the world, will you see this species of clubfoot. The International Fund for Wildlife Welfare published the results of registration of all bears - there are 56 subspecies. However, the Gobi brown was not included in this list.
Description of the Gobi bear
Gobi bears are relatively small in size. Their coarse, sparse fur is colored in light brown or whitish-bluish tones.
The chest, shoulder parts of the body and throat are “threaded” with a white stripe. The bear's claws are light. The second and third toes on the hind legs are fused by almost a third. In the summer, Mazalai males have brown fur, and in the winter they acquire a brown-gray color. Their legs and neck are darker than their body.
Lifestyle, nutrition and reproduction of Mazalai
For the winter, Mazaalai settle in caves or make dens under trees. In summer, they can be more often seen near the water, where there are many plants that are part of the bear’s diet. In addition, Gobi bears enjoy rhubarb roots, berries, wild onions and other plants that can be found in the desert. Sometimes clubfoots feed on carrion, rodents, birds, lizards or insects. Unlike other bears, Mazaalai are primarily herbivores.
After mating, the female cruelly breaks up with the male, driving him out of her territory. Every two years, a mother bear gives birth to a pair of cubs. Each weighs approximately 500 grams. In harsh times, it was noticed that the female sacrificed one of the cubs for the sake of survival.
Conservation of Gobi brown bears
Mazaalai was listed as an endangered animal species, since the number of these bears is very low, and this fact was noted in the national “Red Book”. Researchers were not too lazy to count the number of Mazalai in the territory of the “Great Gobi” and reported that there were no more than 30 bears left.
The number of Gobi clubfoot has decreased so much that it is time to sound the alarm not only at the national but also at the global level.
Limited by insufficient funding and extreme conditions in the Gobi Desert, Mazalai bears cannot be adequately studied by specialists, and as a result, no plan has been drawn up to develop their conservation activities. However, thanks to the creation of a supplementary food supply program initiated by the government in the 1980s, it is playing an important role in preserving the tiny population of Gobi bears.
A group of scientists and staff of the reserve carries out monitoring, observing the behavior of the Mazalai in their natural habitat, directly in the spring, when the bears emerge from hibernation. During this period, animals need food. Food is left in special feeders until new vegetation grows. It is thanks to such data collection points in the form of feeders that it is possible to install remote-controlled cameras and study the behavior of the Mazalai.