Eurasian Brown Bear

INTERESTING FACTS

Found in northern Eurasia. The Eurasian bear has a rich, and very thick, coat. The hair of this coat can grow up to five inches long. Coat color is highly variable, ranging from grayish-white through bluish and brownish shades to almost black. With a round head, small ears, and a wide skull, the Eurasian bear is hard to miss. Brown bears have an extremely large geographic distribution, and their worldwide population totals more than 200,000 individuals. Brown bears can move rocks and logs and dig through hard soil and rocky ground using their long sharp claws when making their dens. Considered solitary mammals and they are rarely observed together or in form of a group.

CONSERVATION MESSAGE

Formerly hunted for its hides, meat, and as a big game trophy, the brown bear’s most severe threats are currently habitat destruction and persecution. Also, their large size and aggressive behavior frighten people who encounter them, and brown bears that frequent human settlements are sometimes killed by landowners and government officials. Other sources of brown bear mortality include collisions with trains and automobiles, poaching, and sport hunting. Conservation organizations work continuously to conserve bear populations and maintain vital habitats for the bears this includes educating communities, minimizing human-bear conflict, planting trees, and working with government authorities to ensure livestock is adequately protected and wild bear populations are managed effectively.