ENDANGERED ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA
BROWN BEAR
Help the Brown Bear!
Main Info
The brown bear is one of the worlds largest land animals and the most widely distributed bear. It can grow to 9 feet in height and weigh 1700 pounds. The most famous of the brown bears, which have populations in Europe, Asia, and North America, is the grizzly bear. The grizzly bear has frosted white fur on it's back that makes it look grizzled. Though it may be dangerous and powerful, attacking humans without warning if it feels threatened, it is very beneficial to it's environment as it acts as a seed spreader and controls animal populations.
Habitat
The brown bear lives in mountain areas and forests in Europe, Asia, and North America. They live close to rivers and streams so they can fish, primarily for salmon. Brown bears spend the winter hibernating in a den that is dug into a hillside. They also make seasonal movements according to food.
Food Chain and Diet
Brown bears are omnivores at the top of the food chain. They eat various plants, fruits, berries, small vertebrates, insects, birds, and fish. Salmon is an essential part of brown bear diet. It helps them store up fat for winter hibernation. If they find large mammals stuck in he snow they will eat that as well.
Adaptation
The brown bear has acute senses of hearing and smell despite their poor sight. Thanks to their long claws they can dig to find burrowing creatures to eat and make dens to hibernate. It hibernates through the entire winter, reusing it's bodily resources to stay alive.
Critical information
Unfortunately, this great and powerful creature used to be hunted, and their populations reduced greatly. In places like California it was hunted to extinction. It was also vulnerable to enviroment destruction and land usage harmed them as well.
Luckily, there are now many national and international measures in place to protect it. There are conservation management plans to help mitigate threats and promote the recovery of small populations. All of this help is stopping the problem and it is now considered to be in the least concern category of the endangered wildlife list.
Picture Citations
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dbarronoss/2323656965/">dbarronoss</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href=
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photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dobieks/3833467571/">BlackburnPhoto</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href=
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"http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenbondy/2149526252/">Ken Bondy</a> via <a href=
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"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>
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"http://www.flickr.com/photos/ucumari/7038405415/">ucumari</a> via <a href=
"http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href=
"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
photo credit: <a href=
"http://www.flickr.com/photos/vidyo/5076012916/">RayMorris1</a> via <a href=
"http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href=
"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>