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Animal Facts - Bears

Family sub-groups and characteristics

Face of a Brown BearAlthough the 8 bear species belong to the same family, 6 of them look more like each other and 2 of them look quite different from all the others.

This may be because they evolved into 3 family sub-groups:

  • Sub-group: Spectacled Bear
  • Sub-group: Giant Panda
  • Sub-group: Sloth Bear, American Black Bear, Asian Black Bear, Sun Bear, Polar Bear, Brown Bear.

Giant PandaScientists think this sub-group evolution started about 12 million years ago with the Spectacled Bear, followed by the Giant Panda about 8 million years ago.

The Sloth Bear evolved about 7 million years ago and the American and Asian Black Bears about 6 million years ago.

 

The Sun Bear evolved about 5 million years ago and the Polar Bear and Brown Bear between 300,000 and 400,000 years ago.

Sun Bear watching youPolar Bear with cubBrown Bear looking for food

 

Bears and humans >>