What is the biggest bear in the world? Meet the world's largest bear Which bear is bigger than a grizzly bear?
Every year in the news, and more on the Internet, there are reports of encounters with giant bears in different parts of the world. Most often, people perceive this as just another duck, although many naturalists and hunters are confident that in remote, remote places giant bears exist and thrive well - direct descendants of animals that went extinct thousands of years ago.
Many trophy hunters dream of catching the biggest bear and getting into the record books. On the other hand, this powerful and very intelligent beast, with its size and strength, seems to challenge humans. Suffice it to recall the many years of hunting for a giant seasoned brown bear, so vividly described in William Faulkner’s story “The Bear.” By the way, on our website you can watch a magnificent film based on this book, which did not leave any hunter indifferent. Just go.
Kuvaev suggested looking for the Chukchi shark, which was either a miraculously preserved ancient cave bear, or some independent species, in the vicinity of Lake Elgygytgyn, one of the most inaccessible places in the region. So far, not a single bear resembling a shark has been found there. And no bear tracks of abnormal size were observed.
Giant with short legs
A new surge of interest in giant bears occurred after the publication in the press of materials about Kamchatka hunter Rodion Sivolobov, who claimed that in certain parts of the island there was an unusual bear, which the Koryaks called “irkuyem.” This animal is not only gigantic in size, but also differs in physique from other bears. According to Sivolobov, he first learned about the existence of the mysterious Irkuyem from the old Koryak I. Elelkiv, a resident of the village of Khvilino. He warned Sivolobov against hunting a huge bear with short hind legs - irkuyem.
Arctopus was very large
There is an opinion that in the mid-70s a huge specimen was shot, and its paws, almost half a meter long, and its skull were sent to the capital. But they didn’t make it there - they mysteriously disappeared from the train somewhere in the Urals region.
Among the largest bears we can distinguish the Kodiak brown bear, grizzly bear, and polar bear. These are all animals of enormous weight and length. There is also a record holder among teddy toy bears.
The biggest teddy bear
The record-breaking teddy bear, recognized as the largest in the world, greeted visitors to the plush toy museum every day for almost twenty years, standing at the entrance. The museum was located in the city of Statford. All this time he was the subject of admiration for young visitors. The height of this toy is three meters and thirty centimeters. It's hard to imagine the weight of this giant.
Over the years, the exhibition was visited by at least a million people. Unfortunately, the museum was closed in 2007, and this bear, like the rest of the exhibits, was put up for sale.
Big polar bears
Polar bears have several other names - polar bear, sea bear, northern bear and oshkuy. The polar bear descended from the brown bear. The largest specimens grow up to three meters or more and can weigh about eight hundred kilograms, however, this is very rare. Usually the male is within the length of two to two and a half meters, his weight does not exceed half a ton. Externally, the oshkuy and the brown bear have noticeable differences. The polar bear's head is flat on an elongated neck, and its ears are small. The wool is not only white, but also yellowish. It's amazing that all polar bears have black skin. This is impossible to notice due to the dense fur.
Oshkuy lives in the northern hemisphere and feeds on walruses, seals, seals and other marine animals. To catch them, the bear hides in a shelter and then stuns them with a blow to the head. Polar bears have long been listed in the Red Book. The reason is that they reproduce slowly, and their young often become prey to other predators. These bears are hunted by poachers. Every year they destroy at least two hundred individuals.
Huge Kodiak bears
One of the subspecies of brown bears is the Kodiak. It is the largest among the planet's predators. This is confirmed by its size. The height at the withers of an individual of this subspecies reaches one and a half meters, and the length is about four meters. The weight of the giant bear is also striking. So, a female weighs a quarter of a ton, and an adult male weighs almost four hundred and fifty kilograms. These parameters are average, and there are specimens that reach a weight of one ton.
The habitat of this subspecies is Kodiak Island and the islands of the Kodiak archipelago, that is, where winter does not last long and there is always a lot of different food. Like other bears, Kodiaks hibernate in winter. Their food is not only animals, these bears do not refuse carrion, they eat roots, berries and herbs. During the salmon spawning season, Kodiaks enjoy eating it. Animals mate in the summer, and the development of a fertilized cell begins in the fall. No more than three cubs are born in January or February, when the female is in a state of hibernation. Children remain with their mother for the first three years of life.
The largest grizzlies
Another large subspecies of brown bear, considered the second largest in size after the Kodiak, is called the grizzly. Its habitat is Alaska and Canada. Until recently, grizzlies could be found in Mexico. Outwardly, he is not particularly different from other brown bears. The only difference is the length of its claws, which can reach fifteen centimeters. It is for this reason that grizzlies never climb trees.
Some individuals weigh about a ton and are about four meters long. From a distance, grizzlies appear slightly grayish, the reason being that, being brown, they are covered in gray fur in some places. While bears are small, their claws are still very small, which allows grizzlies to climb trees, destroy hives and eat plant foods.
The main diet of an adult is animal food. Grizzly is an excellent fisherman. It is very dangerous for a person to encounter this predator. He can deliver a fatal blow with one blow of his paw. It is known that this subspecies of brown bear and polar bear can interbreed.
The largest bear in the world
The largest bear in history is considered to be a giant short-faced cave bear that once lived in South America. He is known as Arctodus. According to scientists, such bears lived from about two million years ago to five hundred thousand years ago.
The mass of the giant predator reached two tons, and its height was at least three and a half meters. The cave bear ate lions, woolly rhinoceroses, wolves, tigers, giant moose and deer. He had enormous bite force. In Argentina in 1935, the skeleton of a short-faced cave bear was found. According to National Geographic, there is nothing in the world even remotely similar to such a powerful predator.
In 2006, a huge man-eating grizzly bear was killed in Alaska. If he could stand on his hind legs, he would be about four meters and thirty centimeters tall. The bear's weight turned out to be seven hundred twenty-six kilograms. But the smallest bear, Biruang, according to uznayvse.ru, weighs only 25 kg as an adult. The website has
The smallest bear in the world
A miniature but formidable predator. Biruang is the name of the smallest bear in the world. He is also the rarest bear on the planet. A miniature but formidable predator. Biruang is the name of the smallest bear in the world. He is also the rarest bear on the planet. The unusual animal is also called the Malayan or sun bear. And he really is the smallest representative of the bear family. The height of the clubfoot is no more than one and a half meters, but its weight varies from 25 kilograms to 65 kilograms. However, even despite such small dimensions, the biruang is considered one of the most ferocious bears in the world, if not the most aggressive. However, this opinion exists only in Western countries. And in Asia, for example, the sun bear is called not dangerous. Moreover, the bear is tamed and sometimes kept as a pet.
The smallest bears in the world, like dogs, are quite easy to train. And only mother bears protecting their cubs pose a danger to people. It is worth avoiding angry individuals. If the beast is provoked to attack, then they are truly fearless and fight with all their might, not for life or death, trying to defeat the enemy at any cost.
The smallest bears in the world are dart frogs. Sun bears have rather large, and sickle-shaped claws. The animals have huge paws with completely bare soles. It is this fact that helps biruangs to climb trees well. Of all the bears, it is the smallest bears in the world who love trees the most. Therefore, they are sometimes also called "basindo nan tenggil", which literally means "one who likes to sit high." Biruangas are predominantly nocturnal animals, so individuals can sleep the whole day or lie on convenient tree branches. At a height, they also build themselves something similar to a nest and, without leaving the “house,” feed on fruits and leaves. It is worth noting an interesting fact - Malayan bears never hibernate. Sun bears are omnivores. But, as a rule, they feed on earthworms, insects, fruits, shoots and rhizomes of various plants. A distinctive feature of the Biruang is its unusually long tongue. It reaches 20-25 centimeters. This part of the body is very sticky and thin. And she helps the bear get his favorite treat - honey from the hives. Hence another name for the smallest bear in the world – “honey bear”. By the way, the animal does not mind eating not only honey, but also bees. Sometimes biruangs also absorb birds, lizards and small mammals. The powerful jaws of the specimens help them easily crack even coconuts. Malayan bears are found in southern China, northeast India, Thailand, Myanmar, as well as on the island of Borneo, the Indochina Peninsula and Indonesia.
The miniature bear differs from its relatives not only in its amazingly long tongue. The biruang's fur is stiffer, shorter and smoother. And this is explained by the fact that the animal lives in a fairly warm climate. The color of the sun bear is black, and there is a large light spot on its chest. It looks like a horseshoe and is shaped like the rising sun. And from here came the name of the entire genus of small bears - “Helarctos”. The first part of the word is translated as sun, and the second – bear. All together it turns out to be a sun bear. Biruangs live up to 25 years, but this is in captivity. But in the wild, the smallest bear in the world, its life and habits have been studied quite poorly. However, we can say with confidence that under human care these animals live much longer. Truly a clubfoot! Teddy bear is a phrase that everyone knows from childhood, biruang makes it true. Scientists have noted the interesting gait of the Malayan bear. All four paws turn inward when walking. But the sun bear's vision is not so good. But poor vision is compensated by an excellent sense of smell and hearing. Enemies of the little bear The main enemy of the sun bear has always been and remains man. Biruangs easily defeat almost any predator. They, as they said, are very strong in battle, so the neighbors in the forest prefer to give the baby a wide berth. But sometimes conflicts with leopards and tigers still occur. The largest predators try to grab their opponent by the throat. But bears can avoid such an attack, because they have very loose skin on their necks, which allows the biruang to “slip out” from the mouth of a leopard or tiger and strike back with a crushing blow.
But leaving a person is not so easy. Humans have already caused almost irreparable damage to the population of the world's smallest bears. Even five thousand years ago, Chinese people used bear bile for medicinal purposes - to treat bacterial infections. Now the situation has not changed. But on the island of Borneo, animal fur is used to sew hats. Trophy hunting for the Malayan bear is also popular among people. Farmers shoot the animal for the simple reason that the clubfoot is capable of causing damage to coconut and banana plantations. It is for these reasons that biruangs are now the rarest species of bear. They are listed in the International Red Book. However, the number of Malayan bears is only decreasing every year. Touching predator One way or another, Malayan bears can be called shy and timid. They usually prefer to avoid a person, not show themselves to him, and generally stay away from him. But in Asia, a tamed biruang is not a rare sight. The animal can calmly walk around the owner’s house without supervision and play with interest with the children. By the way, Malayan bears are very smart. There is a story about a certain bear who once surprised his owners. The animal did not eat the rice offered to him, but scattered it on the ground, sat down next to him and began to wait for something. A little later, the birds came to dine on rice, and the cunning Biruang dined on the birds. Curiously, the mating season of the biruang is not limited to one season. Mating of the smallest bears in the world can occur throughout the year. After a 95-day pregnancy, the female gives birth to 1-2 cubs, sometimes three. Blind, naked and helpless newborns weigh approximately 300 grams. They are under the protection of their mother for up to 2.5 years.
Representatives of the bear family are the largest land predators. Although it would be a stretch to call bears predators. They are rather omnivores, often preferring plant products or honey, from which they get their name. Bears often do not eat newly killed animals, but leave them for several days, waiting until the corpse begins to decompose. Carrion “with a smell” is to the bear’s taste.
So who is he - the biggest bear in the world? Several representatives of the family claim the title of the very best:
- Brown bear;
- Grizzly bear;
- Kodiak bear;
- polar bear.
The rest of the bears are too small. Some (for example, the Malayan bear) do not exceed one and a half meters in length, others are even smaller.
Brown bear
The brown bear is our native Russian bear, which is well known to everyone. From time immemorial it has been considered the standard of power. Usually its weight does not exceed five hundred kilograms, and its length is two meters. But in Siberian forests there are giants up to two and a half meters in length and weighing up to eight hundred kilograms.
Its European counterpart, belonging to the same species, is noticeably smaller and cannot claim the title of the largest bear. And its colleagues living in Asia according to the taxon of zoological classification are no larger in size than the European bear. These are the Gobi, Tibetan and Himalayan subspecies. Only bears living in the New World and the North can compete with the Siberian bear.
Bears of America
The most popular American bear is the grizzly, widely known for its impressive size and ferocity. This bear is often 2.8 meters long and weighs up to 700-800 kilograms. There are photographs showing giants up to 4 meters in length, the mass of which can only be approximately determined. Without a doubt, such giants weigh more than a ton. Such large grizzlies are rare, but the average American bear is still slightly larger than its Siberian counterpart.
The subspecies of brown bear, which lives in the Kodiak archipelago off the southern coast of Alaska, is also very impressive in size. The bear, caught on Kodiak Island for the Berlin Zoo, weighed 1,134 kilograms. Individuals of this mass are extremely rare. The length of bears of this subspecies reaches 2.8 meters, and at the withers, standing on four legs, 1.6 meters.
Polar bear
The northern representative of the bear family closes the list of contenders for the title of “world’s largest bear.” A male polar bear has the following characteristics:
- length – 2.5-3 meters;
- weight – 500-1000 kg;
- Height at the withers is about one and a half meters.
Some specimens reach even larger sizes. Females are much smaller than males. Their weight does not exceed five hundred kilograms, and more often it is around the three hundred kilogram mark. The polar bear population numbers between 20 and 30 thousand individuals. The largest live in the Bering Sea, the smallest in the Spitsbergen archipelago.
Who is first?
As you can see, the last three representatives of bears - the grizzly bear, the Kodiak Island bear and the polar bear - have the most impressive dimensions and weight. The largest in appearance are single specimens of grizzly bears. And the heaviest, according to documentary records, was the bear from Kodiak. At the same time, according to zoologists, among polar bears there is the largest percentage of truly large individuals in the bear family.
Summarize. The largest bear in the world could be a representative of any of these species. Of course, it all depends on the living conditions of a particular animal. Under favorable circumstances (abundance of food, optimal climatic conditions, absence of oppressive factors), a polar bear, a grizzly bear, and a bear from Kodiak Island can grow to record sizes.
The largest bear on the planet is known as the Kodiak. It is one of the subspecies of brown bears and is under government protection in most countries. In terms of its size, this animal surpasses not only its relatives, but even the “king of beasts”. The average male weighs more than 700 kilograms, and the female weighs about 300 kilograms. At the same time, it should be noted that there were Kodiak individuals whose weight exceeded the one ton mark. When answering the question about which bear is the largest, you need to take into account the nuance that in the summer these animals weigh about a third more than after hibernation. Be that as it may, there is no other land predator with such dimensions.
The animal has a compact and at the same time strong, muscular body with a short tail. His head is large and his legs are long. The largest bear on the planet has dark brown fur, which in some individuals is almost black. Despite the fact that the Kodiak is considered a predator, it feeds on a variety of foods. Most often it becomes fish that come to spawn in local shallow rivers. In addition, the animal often eats nuts, berries and various roots. As for hunting other animals, this happens only in exceptional cases.
According to their lifestyle, these animals are solitary and never form herds. Only during the breeding season, which falls in the summer, do pairs form. A female Kodiak usually gives birth to one to three cubs every four years, usually in winter. They stay with her until she is four years old. The largest brown bear is considered adult when it is six years old. After being weaned from their mother, small males try to move away from her, while females, on the contrary, try to stay as close as possible. She, in turn, always comes to the rescue when danger arises. In this regard, the survival rate for cubs is 56 and 80 percent, respectively.
The predator's habitat is the islands of the Kodiak archipelago on the southern coast of Alaska. The largest bear is the main local attraction and attracts a large number of tourists every year. Currently, there are approximately three thousand individuals of this animal on the planet, so hunting for it is strictly limited by law. The allowed shooting of Kodiaks is a maximum of 160 individuals per year.
In terms of size, Kodiaks are almost equal only to polar bears. They differ from their brown relatives only in their place of residence and fur color. Moreover, this variety tolerates severe frosts better, and the structure of their paws allows them to run faster on ice. The animal lives on the islands of the Arctic. Often the title of “largest bear” is given to him. The predator feeds mainly on ringed fish and fish, which it can detect with its sense of smell at a distance of up to six hundred meters. The animal is an excellent swimmer and can cover a distance of five hundred kilometers in a few days. Currently, there are approximately 27 thousand individuals of this animal left on the planet, and hunting for it is strictly limited.
Bears are the largest predators in the world. Their average weight is 450-600 kg, and their height is 2-3 meters. In folklore, bears are described as large, stupid and clumsy creatures, good-natured in nature. In reality, the situation is that an encounter with a wild bear does not bode well for a person, because it is a dangerous animal that can attack and take life. Even a medium-sized bear will exceed a person in height and weight, while giant bears can be found in different parts of the planet.
The largest bear
Assessing the size of the animal, the record-breaking bears that lived on planet Earth were the giant short-faced cave bears. The animals lived in South America. The species was called Arctodus. Zoologists have determined that bears lived in the time period 2 million - 500 thousand years ago. Their sizes are amazing: their weight reached 2 tons, and their height exceeded 3.5 m.
The cave bear ate lions, woolly rhinoceroses, wolves, tigers, giant moose and deer. To confirm the scientists’ assumptions, in 1935 a skeleton of the muzzle of this ancient beast was found in Argentina.
Rating of the biggest bears
10th place. Gubach
A bear with an unusual appearance. The shape of the animal's head, eyes and nose resembles a sloth. The bear's lips look like a trunk, hence the specific name of the animal. The sloth fish has a body length of 180 cm and weighs from 54 to 140 kg.
It feeds on ants and termites. With the help of large claws it climbs trees. Distribution area: India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal. The sloth fish is endangered and is listed in the Red Book. Lives no more than 40 years.
9th place. Himalayan bear
The animal with black short silky fur weighs 120-140 kg, body length 150-170 cm. A distinctive feature of the bear is a “V” shaped spot on its chest. It gave the mammal a second name - moon bear. The Himalayan bear is found in Iran, Afghanistan, the Himalayas and Pakistan. Rare in Korea.
On the territory of Russia it lives in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories. The Himalayan bear is a herbivore; 90% of the animal’s food consists of nuts, berries and herbs. Among living creatures it feeds only on frogs, mollusks and ants. Lives 20-25 years. Listed in the Red Book.
8th place. Spectacled bear
The only resident of the bear family in South America. Lives in Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, Peru. Weighs from 70 to 140 kg, and the body length of the mammal reaches 150-180 cm. Lives 18-21 years.
The spectacled bear does not hibernate, although it makes a den for itself. Hunts at night or during twilight. It feeds on roots, herbs, and fruits. Rarely attacks deer. It is considered a critically endangered species. Listed in the Red Book.
7th place. Big panda
The most peaceful bear on the planet. It has a specific black and white coat color. Weight reaches 160 kg. The length of the mammal is 1.3-1.8 meters. It feeds only on bamboo. It eats more than 30 kg of this plant per day.
When there is a shortage of food, the panda does not disdain animals, insects and bird eggs. The panda's habitat is Tibet and Sichuan, the mountainous regions of China. It is under threat of complete extinction. There is a death penalty for killing a panda in China.
6th place. Kermode
This animal, one of the top large bears on the planet, is called the ghost bear by the Indians. The animal was named in honor of the zoologist Francis Kermode. The scientist was the first to describe this type of bear. Kermodes live on the west coast of Canada.
This is a subspecies of the American black bear. Having a white coat, it is not an albino or a relative of polar bears. It feeds on both animal and plant foods: fruits, berries, rhizomes. Body length is up to 1.8 meters and weight is up to 300 kg.
5th place. Baribal
Also common in northern Mexico. The bear feeds on food of plant origin (berries, nuts), insects and fish. Sometimes attacks sheep or pigs. Lives 10 years in natural conditions and 30 in captivity. The number of living baribals reaches 600 thousand.
4th place. Grizzly
Subspecies of brown bear. Found in Alaska, western Canada, near Yellowstone Park and northwestern Washington. The weight of this animal reaches 450 kg. It feeds on fish (salmon), but does not disdain carrion. A grizzly bear is similar to a brown bear. The difference is in behavior, not appearance. The mammal is stronger than the brown bear. Although the word “grizzly” is translated as scary, the bear attacks people only when it is hungry or angry. The rest of the time, a person is of no value to a mammal.
In 2009, in Alaska, a Forest Service employee shot and killed a 4.3-meter-tall grizzly bear weighing more than a ton. After examining the contents of the huge animal’s stomach, they realized that this bear had eaten several people over the past two days.
Among some Indian tribes, killing a grizzly bear was considered a feat, a kind of test that every warrior passed. Therefore, bears were periodically hunted by a group of 7-8 warriors with the weapons that were available: axes, spears, arrows. Today, with the advent of firearms, dealing with grizzlies has become much easier.
3rd place. Siberian brown bear
Another subspecies of brown bear. Specimens reach a length of 2.5 meters and a body weight of 750-800 kg. The animal with dark brown fur lives near the basin of the Kolyma and Anadyr rivers.
Sometimes found east of the Yenisei River, near the border of Eastern Kazakhstan and in the Chinese province of Xinjiang. The bear is a loner and hibernates during the winter. The animal eats plant and animal food in equal proportions. Loves fish. The Siberian brown bear is often found near shallow rivers.
2nd place. Kodiak
A subspecies of brown bear and a silver medalist in the ranking of large bears on the planet is the Kodiak. It has a muscular long body with a massive head and a short tail. The Kodiak population is about 3,000 bears. They have been endangered for a long time, so no more than 160 animals per year can be shot. These are the inhabitants of the Kodiak archipelago off the southern coast of Alaska.
An adult male reaches 3 meters in length and 800-1000 kg in weight. Kodiaks are considered one of the most dangerous predatory animals on the planet, but at the same time they are considered an endangered species. Although such bears are classified as predators, Kodiaks rarely hunt. Animals prefer to fill their diet with fish, berries, roots, grass and nuts.
1 place. Polar bear
A predatory animal up to 3 meters long and weighing up to 1 ton becomes the leader in the ranking of large bears on the planet. They differ from brown bears - the body and neck are more elongated, and the head is flatter. The species is widespread in the Arctic. There are many polar bears on the island of Spitsbergen. There are many more of them there than people. Spitsbergen is also called the “island of polar bears”.
The beast feeds on animals: sea hare, walrus, arctic fox. The lifespan of these solitary bears is no more than 30 years. Now the number of polar bears in Russia is 5-6 thousand. Worldwide - 28 thousand individuals. In our country, hunting for it is prohibited, but poachers still shoot 150-200 bears a year.