What is a bear?
A bear is a mammal from the family Ursidae. There are several types of bears, and they live in different habitats worldwide.
While their appearance can vary per type, bears are generally large, furry animals with four legs. They have small, rounded ears and small tails. Their fur color varies, but they all have short, shaggy hair from their head to paws.
Their specific diets also differ according to where they live, but all bears are omnivores. Most of them are opportunistic eaters, but some will hunt down smaller prey. And it might not seem so, but bears are great runners, climbers, and swimmers.
Their average lifespan in the wild of 20 to 30 years is often spent in their “dens”, which are just caves or logs. Bears in captivity can reach up to 35 years of age.
How many types of bears are there?
There are eight extant types of bears, but there were originally nine species of bears. This guide includes all nine types of bears, including some of their popular subspecies.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) monitors the remaining population of these powerful beasts. According to their list, only two out of eight types of bears are of “Least Concern”. The remaining six species are vulnerable or endangered.