  the american bear association home page (web pages2/index)        function mm_swapimgrestore() { //v3.0   var i,x,a=document.mm_sr; for(i=0;a&&i0&&parent.frames.length) {     d=parent.frames[n.substring(p+1)].document; n=n.substring(0,p);}   if(!(x=d[n])&&d.all) x=d.all[n]; for (i=0;!x&&i                                                                                                                                                                                  ...awarded          to our website!                          bears          of the world       fossil          records and historical data indicate that at one time there may have been          hundreds of bear species worldwide, on all continents except antarctica          and australia. today, eight bear species remain in north and south america,          europe, and asia. all of the bears found at the vince shute wildlife sanctuary          are american black bears (ursus americanus). below you will find          a photo and a brief description of each of the other seven species. for          additional information, see the additional          reading page. the status of each species is listed, according to the          international union for conservation's (iucn) red list of threatened species          for the year 2000. for complete listings and criteria, please visit www.redlist.org.                         asiatic black          bear (selenarctos thibetanus)         description:          this species is similar in size and appearance to the american black bear,          although the fur is longer, soft, and shaggy. adult males weigh from 200          to 255 pounds (92-116 kg.) and adult females weigh between 110 and 225          pounds(50-102 kg.). the asiatic black bear is an excellent tree climber,          as are most of the bear species. its predominantly herbivorous diet resembles          that of its american cousin: plants, fruits, insects, bees' nests, and          invertebrates are preferred foods. the most obvious difference between          the two species is the chest blaze. this feature is found in about 25%          of american black bears, and can vary in size and shape. in contrast,          nearly all asiatic black bears have cream-colored chest blazes in a crescent          shape, giving the species its other common name:  moon bear.          range: they are found in forested areas throughout southern asia,          from afghanistan to the islands of japan. they are thought to prefer mountainous          areas and have been found at elevations of 10,000 feet (over 3,000 meters)          during summer months.         2000 iucn red list status: vulnerable.          the population of asiatic black bears in the wild has declined steadily,          due to loss of habitat and the harvesting of their bile and body parts.       photo:           animals asia foundation                                   giant            panda (ailuropoda melanoleuca)           description:            after years of debate, scientists have finally            reached an agreement, based on genetic analysis, that the giant panda            should indeed be classified among the bears rather than the raccoons.            its large head and striking black and white coloration make this bear            one of the most recognizable species in the world. adult males range            from 176 to 275 pounds (80-125 kg.) while females weigh between 155            and 220 pounds (70-100 kg.). giant pandas subsist almost entirely on            bamboo, which they eat using a unique anatomical feature: their wrist            bones extend to form an opposing  thumb.            range: the habitat of the giant panda is dictated by its dependence            on bamboo. today, they are found only in the bamboo-rich mountain forests            of southwestern china. they have the smallest range of any living bears.           2000 iucn red            list status: endangered.            human population growth and resultant habitat loss has led to a drastic            reduction in numbers. a black market for pelts has also contributed            to the species' decline. it is estimated that fewer than 1,500 pandas            remain in the wild. the greatest problem these bears face today is a            lack of travel corridors.                photo          courtesy of john white                                           malayan sun            bear (helarctos malayanus)           description:            the sun bear, which is the smallest of the living            bear species, can be identified by its short, sleek coat and light-colored            muzzle. it also has a cream-colored, crescent-shaped chest blaze similar            to that of the asiatic black bear. thus the two species are commonly            called moon bears and sun bears. adult males weigh between 60 and 110            pounds (27-50 kg.) while females are just slightly smaller. sun bears            are the least studied of all bears. they are excellent climbers, and            their diet is thought to consist of small mammals, birds, palm tree            tips, and fruits. they also enjoy feasting on bees' nests; in indonesia            and malaysia they are often called  honey bears.            range: the            sun bear is the only species to occupy the lowland tropical rainforests            of southeast asia. its range is shrinking due to habitat loss, but it            has been found throughout the region, from bangladesh to vietnam to            the indonesian islands.           2000 iucn red list status: insufficient            data. although not enough is known to classify the sun bear            as a threatened species, its numbers are declining due to many of the            same factors impacting other species. clearcutting of forests has fragmented            its range. sun bears are also harvested for their gallbladders and are            traded as pets.                photograph          courtesy of john white                                           sloth bear (melursus            ursinus)           description:            long, curved claws and a coat that is long, straight,            and shaggy give this species a unique and somewhat disheveled appearance.            adult males weigh from 175 to 310 pounds (80-141 kg.) while females            weigh between 120 and 210 pounds (55-95 kg.). their mobile snouts and            lips and gapped teeth are adapted for sucking up termites and ants,            their primary food sources. they may also eat various kinds of vegetation,            especially fruits in season. while american and asiatic black bears            will usually flee or climb a tree when threatened, a sloth bear is more            likely to stand its ground.           range: sloth bears are predominantly found in the lowland forests            of india and sri lanka. it is thought that they prefer rocky areas and            drier climates.           2000 iucn red list status: vulnerable.            as is the case with other bear species in asia, sloth bears are threatened            by habitat loss and gallbladder harvesting. because these bears can            be particularly dangerous when provoked, it has been difficult to garner            public support on their behalf.                photograph          courtesy of john white                                 spectacled          bear (tremarctos ornatus)         description:          at first glance,          it is easy to see where this species gets its name: a spectacled bear's          eyes are encircled by distinctive, light markings. each bear's markings          are as unique as a human fingerprint. adult males range from 175 to 275          pounds (80-125 kg.). adult females weigh between 140 and 180 pounds (64-82          kg.). a spectacled bear spends even more time in trees than does the american          black bear. this bear has the most varied diet of all the bears, eating          dozens of species of vegetation including bromeliads and cactus. they          will also eat young calves.         range:          the spectacled bear          is the only bear species found in south america. it inhabits a wide range          of habitats, from dense rainforest to coastal scrub desert. they are found          as far north as venezuela and as far south as bolivia.         2000 iucn red list status: vulnerable.          the fate of spectacled bears is linked to their role in various forms          of andean mythology. in some cultures, the bear is revered as a god, while          in others it is regarded as evil and often destroyed. south american farmers          kill spectacled bears to protect their livestock, and because they can          sell the bear's meat for profit, as well as other parts which are believed          to have medicinal powers. blood and bones are consumed by many people          for strength and virility.         photograph          courtesy of john white                                 brown bear          (ursus arctos)         description:          the bear species          we call  grizzly  here in north america is a subspecies of the          brown bear, which is the most widespread of all bear species. there is          some debate over the number of subspecies, but brown bears share similar          characteristics: a massive build, a dish-shaped face, and a hump above          the shoulders. coloration varies among individuals, but the tips of the          hair are often lighter, inspiring the name  grizzly.  adult          males may weigh between 300 and 900 pounds (136-410 kg.). adult females          weigh from 205 to 455 pounds (93-207 kg.). diet (and weight) varies depending          on the habitat; some have remained primarily herbivorous while others          have become predators of moose, caribou, and elk. the heaviest brown bears          are the coastal dwellers that feast on salmon along the west coast of          alaska and british columbia.         range:          brown bears are found across the northern hemisphere: in canada, alaska,          and the northwestern united states, in parts of eastern and western europe,          and throughout northern asia, including japan.         2000 iucn red list status: unclassified.          although nearly 150,000 brown bears still exist in the wild, their numbers          are spread thinly in many areas and they have been completely extirpated          from vast portions of their former range. in north america, brown bears          occupy less than half of their former habitat. the populations in central          and western europe have dwindled to a few hundred individuals. in many          places, they are considered (though not classified) as very threatened.        photo:            bill noerenberg                        polar bear          (ursus maritimus)         description:          the polar bear is not only the largest of the bear          species, it is the largest terrestrial carnivore. adult males weigh 880          to 1,500 pounds (400-682 kg.) and females are roughly half that size.          polar bears have no natural predators and are almost entirely carnivorous.          their diet consists primarily of seals but may include small walruses          or whales. they may eat vegetation (primarily berries) occasionaly during          the summer. they have extraordinary adaptations for survival in the arctic          climate. their white fur provides camouflage while hunting, but is also          translucent, allowing sunlight to be absorbed by their black skin. their          specialized paws, adapted for swimming, shoveling snow, and traveling          on ice, are paddle-like with hair between the pads. their dense fur provides          insulation from the cold.         range: polar bears are found throughout the arctic region. they migrate          almost constantly, to follow the pack ice that builds annually in winter          and recedes in summer. it is within the cracks of this pack ice that polar          bears find most of the seals that they hunt.         2000 iucn red list status: lower risk. living in such a remote part of          the world, polar bears are less susceptible to habitat loss than other          bear species, but their survival is not without difficulties. they must          spend the majority of their time hunting, since their success rate in          catching prey is only about 1 in 50 attempts. polar bear populations also          have an exceptionally slow growth rate, as females must wait at least          3 years between breeding cycles. this makes populations extremely vulnerable          to overharvesting. photo:            bill noerenberg                                             note: much of the            information for this page was gathered from the following 2 publications:                       the            great bear almanac            by gary brown, lyons   burford, publishers 1993                       bears            by ian stirling (ed.) emmaus, pennsylvania: rodale press 1993                                evolution            taxonomy       habitat            home range                anatomy                 size       senses       fur       home                    