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Animal Facts

Brown Bear
( Ursus arctos)

Face of a Grizzly BearThe Brown Bear is the national animal of Finland and is a protected species in the European Union. Toy teddy bear

People often think this bear is cute and cuddly. Children’s teddy bears often have faces like a Brown Bear cub.

 

Brown Bear description

The Brown Bear is one of the 8 species of the Ursidae family, along with the American Black Bear, Asiatic Black Bear, Polar Bear, Giant Panda, Sloth Bear, Spectacled Bear and the Sun Bear.

Giant PandaPolar BearSloth Bear

Sub-species

Brown bears live in many parts of the world and scientists don’t yet know how many types or sub-species there are. They also haven’t agreed on names for some of the sub-species identified so far.

They include:

  • European Brown Bear – Scandinavia, Romania, Russia, former Yugoslavia, Spain and Italy
  • Siberian, or Asiatic Brown Bear – Russia
  • Grizzly Bear – Western Canada, Alaska and Northwestern United States
  • Himalayian Brown Bear, or Snow Bear - Nepal, Pakistan and Northern India
  • Kodiak or Alaskan Bear – Kodiak Island, Afognak and Shuyak Island in Alaska
  • Admiralty Brown Bear – Admiralty Island in Alaska
  • Syrian Brown Bear – parts of the Caucasus, Israel, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, western Himalayas
  • Tibetan Blue Bear – Western China and Tibet.

Syrian Brown BearFace of a Grizzly BearAngry Grizzly Bear

The Kodiak is the larges of these sub-species. The Grizzly is the most aggressive and may attack people.

 

Brown Bear Part 2 >>