Bears of the World

Author: Gerald Eugene Smith
Published on: Aug 15, 1999

There are 8 recognised species of bears in the world. One species, the American Black Bear, lives only in North America, another species, the Spectacled Bear, lives only in South America. Four species live only in Asia; the Asiatic Black Bear, the Sun Bear, the Indian Sloth Bear, and the Panda Bear. The Polar Bear is found throughout the High Arctic regions of both Eurasia and North America, and the Brown Bear (or Grizzly) is found from Europe all across Northern Asia to Western North America. Other animals, like Koala Bears or the Asiatic Bear Cats are not really bears, they are just bear-like in appearance. There are no bears in Africa, Australia or (of course!) Antarctica.

Two of the species are only distantly related to the others; the Panda Bear, thought for a long time not to be a true bear, and the Spectacled Bear, the sole surviving member of the Tremarctine family of bears, a group that lived only in the New World and included the most terrible mammalian carnivore to ever walk the Earth, the fearsome one-ton Short-Faced Bear that prowled the plains and steppes of Ice Age North America. The Spectacled Bear of today has a noticeably shorter muzzle than other bears, but is otherwise a shy and inoffensive fellow. The Panda Bear is particularly primitive and has retained a lot of raccoon-like features that the other bears have lost. Interestingly, there is a primitive raccoon living in Asia (the only one found outside of North America) called the Red Panda. It has retained a number of bear-like features that the other raccoons have lost. Thus, the odd situation has arisen whereby in some respects the Panda Bear and Red Panda are more like each other than the other members of their respective families. This was what caused the confusion over the classification of the Panda Bear (or Giant Panda) for so long.

The other six bears constitute the genus Ursus, and can be called the Ursine family of bears. These are your classic bears. The American Black Bear, the Asiatic Black Bear, the Sloth Bear and the Sun Bear constitute the "black bear" subgrouping. They are not necessarily all that closely related to each other, but they have all retained to varying degrees the basic ancestral ursine bear traits of medium size, black fur with a white collar, and tree-climbing ability and prefernce for a forest habitat. When you look at an American Black Bear, you are seeing an animal that closely resembles the common ancestor of all the Ursine bears. The Brown (or Grizzly) Bear and Polar Bear are closely related to each other, and will produce fertile offspring if bred. The Polar Bear is the newest species of the bears. They split off from the Brown Bear stock during the Ice Ages about 200,000 years ago.

The Bear clan is part of the great Carnivore family of placental mammals. Nearly all meat-eating land mammals belong to this family (the rare ones that don't, such as the Tasmanian Devil, are considered great oddities), and the great majority of the members of this family are, in fact, primarily meat-eaters, with bears being the major exception. The Carnivore family is divided into two distinct groupings; the Cat-like Carnivores (Felines proper, Hyaenas and Civets), and the Dog-like Carnivores (Canines, Weasels, Raccoons and Bears). The great Seal clan is sometimes considered to be a third grouping within the Carnivores and sometimes is treated as as separate family of their own. The possible evolutionary relationships between seals and land dwelling carnivores is obscure. We really do not yet know much about the early evolution of the seals. It is likely that the Earless Seals (think Harbor Seals) evolved from otter-like animals in the Weasel clan and that the Eared Seals (the kind that can easily move on land-- Sea Lions, Walruses and Elephant Seals) may well have evolved from primitive bears. There are striking resemblances in the skull structure of Sea Lions and Ursine bears. The precise relationship between the bears and Eared Seals remains a dark mystery--- we basically don't know how and where they evolved. Perhaps genetic studies will help clarify matters.

The closest known relatives of the bears are the raccoons. This may sound unlikely, but if you see a Grizzly in late spring with his winter coat and most body fat gone, you will easily see the resemblance. About 30 million years ago, a group of Carnivores (which had split from the ancestors of the Canines) and resembled small stubby raccoons split into two groups. One group remained small and became raccoons proper, and the other soon showed tendencies to growing to a large size and became bears proper. The Red Panda and Panda Bear have retained many characteristics of this common ancestor which was what made their classification so controversial for so long. The bears, for the most part, evolved in Eurasia (except for one branch, the Tremarctine Bears, which early slipped over to the New World), and the raccoons did most of their evolution in the New World.

I have already discussed at length the characteristics of the three North American species of bears (Black, Grizzly and Polar) and will restrict myself to briefly describing the remaining five. The Spectacled Bear of South America somewhat resembles the black bear, but has white markings on the face (which sometimes resemble spectacles) and has a short muzzle. Perhaps the best tree-climber of all bears, this largely vegetarian animal is shy and inoffensive but seriously endangered. Persecuted for occasionally raiding crops, only a few thousand survive in remote rain forests of the Eastern Andes Mountains. Little is known of the habits of this rare animal and its conservation deserves to be taken more seriously.

The Panda Bear of China is well-known and the focus of intense conservation efforts. It is the most vegetarian (though Pandas do like meat and will rarely raid livestock) of the bears and lives almost entirely on bamboo. This is the most endangered of all bears (no more than 1,000 are alive in the world) and its future is guarded. Beaurocratic bungling on the part of the mostly well-intentioned Chinese has greatly contributed to this sad state, but recently there have been a lot of improvements. In the wild Pandas are gentle and shy, but they tend to be resentful and dangerous in captivity. They have a bad reputation among zookeepers, who never-the-less regard them as the greatest possible prize. Despite their limited life-style, they have high intelligence like other bears. They are the bear least like the others.

The Asiatic black bear in general resembles the American black bear, but has an extensive white collar, rounder smaller ears, and a distinct mane of long hair about the neck. The most bipedal of all bears, they are a favorite for circus acts despite their reputation among trainers for being dangerous, treacherous and downright mean. Their often clownish appearance is deceptive. They live in temperate areas of East Asia and high mountain areas of Southeast Asia, in a lifestyle much like that of the American black bear. In temperament, they are far different though. They are the most ill-tempered and ferocious of all bears and cause significant numbers of deaths and serious injuries in areas where they are still common. American researchers who were familiar with our New World bears were quite taken aback by the all-out Tasmanian Devil-like ferocity that this animal exhibits. An Asiatic black bear whose foot is caught in a cable snare will hurl himself at an approaching researcher with screaming roars, wildly slashing with his claws. Even when anesthetized, the bear will fight desperately back to consciousness for one more snap at the researcher. Needless to say, if you ever spot a black bear in Japan or China, keep your distance and leave it strictly alone. These bears can make even Grizzlies seem reasonable.

It is likely that the difference in temperament with our black bear relates to the fact that no significant predator could follow the American black bear into the trees (the Mountain Lion is too small to worry an adult black bear). The Asiatic black bear lives in the same areas traditionally inhabited by tigers, so there was no escape for them. Indeed, tigers often pounced upon them from these very trees. The Asiatic black bear compensated by becoming really mean. Despite the fact that tigers prey on them, they sometimes get even. One researcher observed a tiger drag a wild goat it had just caught into a natural pit and began feeding. He then saw an Asiatic black bear sneak up to the pit with the greatest care and caution. Taking only quick peeks to see how things were, he waited until the tiger was totally engrossed in feeding. He carefully placed all four feet on the edge of the pit, checked his balance and aim, then suddenly hurled himself into the pit with a tremendous screaming roar. Some truly appalling sounds of combat ensued and the tiger soon came leaping out of the pit, blood streaming from numerous wounds and ran tearing off into the forest. The black bear delightedly ate the rest of the goat at his leisure. This is one tough critter! Never-the-less, Asiatic black bears cover a large range and appear to vary significantly in temperament; the ones in Southeast Asia seem to be more even-tempered than the touchy, irritable ones in China and Japan. In some areas, they are even kept as pets. When they are not pissed-off at something, they show a gruff and self-confident playfulness and an engaging grizzly-like sense of humor. They have been heavily reduced by habitat loss, persecution campaigns (with their habits, they are rather less than beloved by Asians), and the poaching occasioned by the insatiable Asian appetite for bear products. They are threatened in many areas, but still common in others. There needs to be more serious efforts at conservation for this unusual animal, especially in Japan where they are still regarded as vermin. One interesting feature is that they often make nests for themselves high up in trees. These are readily visible in the fall after the leaves drop off.

The only tropical rain forest bear, the Sun Bear lives in Southeast Asia and the East Indies. Smallest of all bears, often less than a hundred pounds, they have the shortest fur, but disproportionately long claws, almost as big as a grizzly's. They are covered with folds of skin and are rather homely, but somehow cute. They resemble the Shar-Pei dog somewhat. Highly energetic and courageous, they make terrible, fierce fighters when cornered; it is said that even the tigers leave them alone. Otherwise, they are one of the most delightful of all bears, and highly popular as pets in East Asia. They are the most playful and good-humored of all bears, as you will readily see if your local zoo has some on display. When they are happy, they have a face that looks like a laughing monkey. Charming, jolly and affectionate, the cubs are status symbol pets among the well-to-do.

Therein lies the problem. The tropical rain forests where these bears live are rapidly being destroyed for short-term economic gain over large areas of Asia. Even in areas where forests are intact, the females are often shot to obtain their cubs for the pet trade. Nobody seems to be making any effort in Asia to captive-breed them for this purpose. The bears are also often shot or trapped as vermin for damage they do to agriculture. The Sun Bear, as a result, has become seriously endangered in the wild, and remarkably little is known of its habits. (Like the other tropical bear, the Indian Sloth Bear, males often accompany the female and cubs to make a true family group, unlike the infanticidal northern bears.) Another bad thing is that the cubs, when they get big, destructive, and hard to handle are typically sold to wild animal dealers who butcher them for food or medicine. Koreans are especially voracious in their appetite for bear meat. Unspeakable, sickening horror stories are told in Thailand of Sun bears or Asian black bears being lowered alive into boiling water or onto hot coals, or slowly clubbed to death before mobs of Koreans who have travelled to Thailand for just such a purpose, drooling in anticipation of the feast to follow. This needs to be seriously investigated. I hope it's not true, but if it is, Korea deserves to be internationally condemned and criticised.

The last species of bear is the Indian sloth bear, found as its name implies in South Asia, namely India and Sri Lanka. Easily the ugliest of all bears, it is dark in color and extremely shaggy, sort of looking like a giant animated barracks mop. In size, it is similar to the black bear but with longer claws. It has a remarkably ungainly looking face with a long snout. It is the most heat-tolerant of all bears, living in dry, scrubby forest land under the hot tropical sun. This is the only bear that is specialised as am insectivore. It claws open a hole in ant or termite mounds and positions its mouth over the hole and applies a powerful suction, slurping out the insects with a noise that can be heard a long way off. Its upper front teeth are missing to facilitate the vacuuming effect. The cubs are homely but cute and are habitually carried by the mother on her back, on an especially thick patch of fur on her shoulders. Despite their extravagant homeliness, these bears are basically good-natured and not particularly agressive. They are, however, highly emotional and inclined to panic if suddenly surprised. Every year, somebody gets mauled as a result and the locals maintain a respectful distance from them. They are being aided by efforts to set aside lands for the conservation of tigers. Though vulnerable, they do not seem to be seriously endangered yet.

Well, I hope this gives you an idea of the wonderful bears in other parts of the world and maybe some additional perspective on the bears we have here in North America. I will make links available to these other bears in the future if I can ever find some good web sites about them.