LIFE SPAN
up to 25 years in nature
REPRODUCTON
sexually and socially mature at the age of two; they mate once a year, from mid-January to mid-March
LITTER SIZE 1-4
(usually 2 cubs); born during the denning period (usually in January)
DIET
mainly fruits, berries, seeds, nuts, roots, grass, insects (ants, wasps, bees), carrion, occasionally wild or domestic ungulates
SIZE
adult females are on average 150 cm long and 70 cm tall; males 180 cm long and 85 cm tall
FUR
light brown to almost black, cubs can have a bright collar-shaped pattern around their necks
Did you know?
Bears rely most on their sense of smell to find food. Their larger and wider snout gives them a larger olfactory surface through which they can detect smells up to several kilometres away. They also use their sense of smell to communicate with each other by rubbing or scratching on the trunk, or by leaving chemical messages through urine and faeces.
Younger (and lighter) bears in particular are excellent climbers and can climb trees or rock walls several metres high. Larger bears are less likely to show this behaviour, mainly due to their weight gain. However, bears remain good and agile runners throughout their lives and can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h.
Seed dispersal, or zoochory, is the process by which different plant species spread and, as a result, maintain their genetic diversity. Bears play an important role in this context, as their dense fur (to which seeds are temporarily attached) and large home ranges (from 100 km2 to 1600 km2) make them excellent seed dispersers and allow plants to spread over longer distances.
