Animal Facts - Bears
How the species may have developed
The first mammals lived about 280 million years ago, at the same time as dinosaurs. These mammals were probably small and nocturnal, and they were dinosaur prey.
When the dinosaurs became extinct about 65 million years ago, other larger mammals developed including pigs, deer, cats and rhinos.
Scientists think the earliest bear lived in Europe about 18 million years ago was about the size of a dog. Its scientific name is Ursavus Elemensis and it may be the ancestor of all the bear species we know today.
Over time the early bears spread across different parts of the world. They lived in forests and had a fur coat to keep them warm in winter. Fossils and bones of Ursavus show that these animals ate mostly meat, but also some plants. They had sharp teeth for cutting and tearing and other, flatter teeth for grinding plant food.
As the continents moved, mountains like the Himalayas, Alps and Rockies were formed and areas of land that had been joined were separated by oceans. Groups of Ursavus living in different places were cut off from each other. Over time they evolved into the 8 species of bear we know today.
Family sub-groups and characteristics >>