Scientific name: Ursus thibetanus
Common name:
English– Asiatic Black Bear, Himalayan Black Bear
French– Ours du Tibet, Ours à collier, Ours de l"Himalaya, Ours noir d"Asie
Spanish– Oso de Collar, Oso Negro de Asia
Species Authority: G. Cuvier, 1823
White-breasted bear
Endangered.
The appearance is similar to that of a brown bear (see description of the Tien Shan bear), but the physique is lighter. The head is relatively small with an elongated muzzle. The ears are very large, widely spaced.
The tail is short, hidden in fur. The claws are large and steeply curved. The hairline is thick, quite high and lush or sparse and low. The color of winter fur is black, dark brown or reddish brown. On the chest there is a large, sharply defined light spot, elongated in the transverse direction, having a crescent or crescent shape, with the ends of the “sickle” directed forward.
Distributed in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Northern India, China, the southeast of Primorsky Krai in the USSR, the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and the Indochina Peninsula. They inhabit forests. They hibernate for the winter. Omnivores. The female usually gives birth to two cubs in the litter. The number has decreased significantly in recent years.
Ussuri white-breasted bear
According to the classification, it is a rare subspecies, the number of which decreases from year to year. The northern part of the subspecies' range is located in the USSR.
For appearance, see the description of the white-breasted bear. The subspecies is characterized by relatively large sizes. Body length up to 200 cm. Winter fur is shiny black, quite thick, tall and lush. Distributed in the Northeast and northern parts of Eastern China and the Korean Peninsula.
The habitat in Russia covers the Khabarovsk and Primorsky territories. In the north, the border of the range runs from the Chinese border along the Bureinsky Ridge and east to Sovetskaya Gavan. In the area of Komsomolsk-on-Amur there is a rupture of the range.
They inhabit pine-deciduous forests of the Manchurian type, oak forests and cedar forests with Manchurian walnut and Mongolian oak. They prefer river valleys and adjacent slopes.
Ussuri white-breasted bears willingly climb trees and feed on them. They go into hibernation at the end of October - beginning of November. For the winter they prefer to lie down in the hollows of old trees, usually Maksimovich poplars and Chozenias. They also often occur in caves and rock crevices. They emerge from the den in the second half of April.
Depending on the condition of the food, they can travel considerable distances of 200-300 km. In the spring, after leaving winter quarters and before green vegetation appears, they feed on last year’s pine nuts and acorns. Insect larvae are obtained.
In May - June they eat the stems of butterbur, hogweed, angelica, sedge, oak ovary, leaves of Amur velvet and Manchurian walnut. In July-August and early September they feed on bird cherry fruits.
In August, in addition, the food includes Amur rhizema and its bulbs, iris, oak ovaries and other plants. In September they feed on acorns, cedar cones, sea anemones, and Amur grapes. At the end of September, cedar nuts and acorns are almost the only food.
The rut runs from mid-June to mid-August. The female brings two, rarely one or three cubs from late December to mid-February, and occasionally until early March.
The number of Ussuri white-breasted bears in the Soviet Far East is estimated at 7-8 thousand heads. “Its decline is associated with destruction by humans, the destruction of hollows in which the bear spends the winter, and with human development of its habitats.
They are protected in the following nature reserves: Sikhote-Alinsky, Ussuriysky, Kedrovaya Pad, Lazovsky, Bolshekhehtsirsky, Khingansky, Komsomolsky.
Photo: Author: Vicpeters Russian Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/ w/index.php?curid=39290794
IUCN Assessment Information
1996 – Vulnerable (VU) 1994 – Vulnerable (V) 1990 – Vulnerable (V)
Distribution area Photo: Author: Korzun Andrey (Kor!An) - own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8400191 Literature (source): Sokolov V. E. Rare and endangered animals. Mammals: Reference, manual. - M.: Higher. school, 1986.-519 p. l.
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22824/0
They are the ones who have always instilled fear in people and fascinated them at the same time. Himalayan bear is the most interesting species of these animals.
It is also called the black Ussuri bear, the lunar bear, the arboreal bear, or they simply say the white-breasted bear. The history of their appearance is interesting. According to scientists, they descended from a small animal called Protursus, from ancestors with European and Asian roots. Black and brown bears are descended from Asian bears.
Description and features of the Himalayan bear
Size Himalayan brown bear has some differences with ordinary brown, if you compare their external data. There are many significant differences between them that are visible to the naked eye.
On photo of Himalayan bear it is clear that he has a large head with a pointed muzzle, a flat forehead and protruding ears. The hind legs do not have as much strength and power as the front legs.
The weight of an adult animal reaches 140 kg, with a height of about 170 cm. The female of this animal is slightly smaller, her average weight is up to 120 kg, with a height of 180 cm. The animals have brownish-black and black coat color, it is silky and shiny, lush and thick , especially on the sides of the bear's head.
This makes its front part visually larger than its back. The animal’s neck is decorated with an original white spot in the shape of the English letter V. The animal’s toes have short, curved and sharp claws.
This shape of the claws helps the animal to move through trees without problems. The bear's tail, compared to its entire size, is quite tiny, its length reaches about 11 cm.
The Himalayan bear is an excellent tree climber
About the Himalayan bear there is a lot of information. The healing properties of their internal organs and the value of their fur have led to the fact that poaching for them has long been open in some regions.
The animal gradually began to disappear from the face of the earth, so it was brought Himalayan bear in Krasnaya for a long time, which helps to protect him at least a little from humanity.
The poacher who kills this animal is subject to the most severe punishment. In addition to people, the Himalayan bear also has enemies in the form of animals.
Often they come into conflict with brown, and. The threat to life lasts until the animal reaches 5 years of age.
The Himalayan bear is often called the "moon bear" because of the crescent moon of light fur on its chest.
After this, the Himalayan bear has much fewer enemies. Another saving grace for clubfooted animals is the fact that they are mostly found in trees and between rocks. Not every large predator can get there.
Lifestyle and habitat of the Himalayan bear
Judging by description of the Himalayan bear, in its arboreal way of life it differs from its brown counterparts. These animals spend almost half of their lives in trees.
There it is easier for them to get food and escape from potential enemies. They climb to the top of the tallest tree, about 30 meters high. without much difficulty and in a matter of seconds he can descend from it to the ground.
They jump from a tree about 6 meters high without fear. Bears behave interestingly in a tree. They sit between the branches, break them off and eat the delicious fruits. After this, the animal does not throw away the branches, but lays them under itself.
After some time, these branches form a large nest. uses it for relaxation. When the weather in the forest is calm and windless, you can hear the cracking of branches broken by a bear from a long distance. This is how they build their nests.
Himalayan bears try to meet people very rarely and avoid these meetings in every possible way. The animals simply leave without displaying aggressive behavior. There have been isolated cases of them attacking people.
Hearing the shot, the animal tries to run away. But sometimes in such cases, aggression awakens in these animals, and they rush at their offenders. This mostly happens to a female bear who is protecting her cubs.
She takes a decisive step forward and brings her actions to the final result in case the offender tries to escape. Himalayan bears, like all their other relatives, hibernate in winter. For this purpose they find hollows of large trees. Most often and most conveniently for them, it is in the hollow of a poplar or linden tree.
The entrance to this dwelling is usually located high, not lower than 5 meters. In order for an animal of this size to fit in a hollow, the tree must be quite large.
In cases where such trees simply do not exist in places where Himalayan bear lives a cave, a rock or a root hollow of a tree serves as a shelter for it. White-breasted bears migrate from wintering areas to deciduous forests and back. It is typical that animals choose the same route for crossings.
These animals have excellent physiological and ethological plasticity. Their behavior is no different from the behavior of bears of other breeds - they do not excrete urea and feces during winter sleep.
All vital activity of bears, metabolic processes become below standard indicators by 50%. Body temperature also drops slightly. Thanks to this, the bear can always wake up easily.
During winter sleep, Himalayan bears lose significant weight. The second half of April is characterized by the fact that these animals wake up and leave their temporary shelters.
They have perfect memory. It is characteristic that they remember both good and evil. Mood can change in different directions. A bear can be peacefully good-natured, but after a while become aggressive and quite agitated.
With the exception of the mating period of its life, the Himalayan bear prefers to lead a solitary, solitary life. Likes to live in those places where there is the most food.
They are not alien to the sense of social hierarchy. It depends on the age of the bears and their weight category. This is especially clearly noticed during the mating season in animals. Males weighing less than 80 kg cannot always mate with females.
Places, where does the Himalayan bear live, there is a sufficient number. They prefer tall tropical and subtropical broadleaf forests in southeast and east Asia, as well as cedar and oak plantations, places where there is enough food for them. In the summer they climb high into the mountains, and in winter they prefer to go lower.
Nutrition
The Himalayan bear prefers to eat plant foods. His favorite delicacies are Manchurian nuts, hazel, cedar nuts, acorns, various wild berries, as well as grass, leaves and tree buds.
Their favorite delicacy is bird cherry. Bears can eat its berries endlessly. Sometimes bears sneak into the apiary and steal the hives along with the honey. The fact that they drag this stolen hive in order to protect themselves from wasps speaks of their highly developed intelligence.
White-breasted bears collect not only ripe fruits, but also those that are not yet ripe. This is how they differ from brown bears. There is significant stability in their food supply. The animal can thus accumulate enough fat, which is enough not only for the period of winter hibernation, but also for the spring awakening period.
Animals can often treat themselves to larvae and insects. They do not like fish and are not predators. But they never refuse carrion. But there is evidence that bears that live in South Asia can easily attack wild ungulates and livestock. Some of them are dangerous for people. This is a strong and agile animal that can kill its prey by breaking its neck.
Reproduction and lifespan of the Himalayan bear
Mating season Himalayan black bear falls on June-August. The female carries her babies for 200-245 days. They are born by a sleeping female bear in a den.
Pictured is a Himalayan bear cub
This mainly occurs in late winter or early spring. At the same time, one or a couple of babies are born. In rare cases, there are 3 or four cubs.
The average weight of newborns at birth is about 400 g. Their growth is slow. At one month of age, cubs are completely helpless and defenseless. By May they gain quite a bit of weight, it is about 3 kg.
The younger generation matures at 2-3 years from birth. At the same time, they mature sexually. The interval between the birth of babies in females is 2-3 years. In the wild, Himalayan bears live up to 25 years. The length of their life in captivity sometimes reached 44 years.
The Himalayan bear is sometimes called the Ussuri black bear, the white-breasted bear (abbreviated as white-breasted) or the moon bear. The latter name is explained by the presence of a white or yellowish spot on the chest, the shape of which is associated with a crescent or the Latin letter “V”.
photo: Kaede Wu
As for size, Ursus thibetanus (Latin name) is significantly inferior to its white and brown counterparts. His physique is slimmer, his muzzle is thin and pointed, his ears are large and rounded. Clubfoot of this species cannot boast of fine hearing, but the same cannot be said about their sense of smell: in terms of smell recognition, they are significantly ahead of dogs.
The length of males varies between 150-170 cm. Individuals over 200 cm are extremely rare. The height at the withers reaches 80 cm, the average weight is 120-140 kg. Females are smaller. The outfit of white-breasted giants is usually black. Sometimes you can see animals of reddish or brownish shades. The fur is short, thick and soft. The largest number of hairs is concentrated on the head, which is why it appears larger. Strong, curved claws are adapted for climbing trunks and holding onto branches. Charming bears spend at least half of their lives in tree crowns, the duration of which reaches 25 years. It is here that they not only feed, but also shelter from pesky midges and heat. Interestingly, skilled poison dart frogs swim well and feel confident on land. 
photo:Dominique Lenoir
85% of the Himalayan bear's diet consists of plant foods. Despite this, moon clubfoot is classified as a carnivorous mammal. The lion's share of the menu is occupied by various types of nuts, acorns, fruits, berries, fruits, pine cones, rhizomes, bulbs, as well as shoots of shrubs and herbs. The protein part of the diet is represented by insects, amphibians and mollusks. Animals also do not refuse dead fish that died during the spawning period. There are known cases of Himalayan clubfoot attacks on wild boars and buffaloes. A broken neck leaves the victim no chance to survive. The Ussuri bumpkins are not averse to enjoying honey. Animals expropriated hives from an apiary are dragged into water in order to “neutralize” the bees.
photo: dominique andré
Himalayan bears can form family groups. In addition to two adults, it may include cubs of two litters. The mating season falls between June and August. The duration of pregnancy is 200-240 days. The birth of cubs (usually 2 of them) occurs in a den and occurs during the period of hibernation. Deviations from the norm (3-4 or 1 baby) are extremely rare. The weight of helpless newborns does not exceed 300-400 g. Body weight increases gradually. By May, the cubs weigh 2.5 kg. Mothers caring for their offspring leave the shelter (tree hollow or cave) later than their relatives. Individuals that have reached 2-3 years of age are considered sexually mature. Childbirth occurs at intervals of 2-3 years.
The habitat is quite extensive. In addition to the southeastern regions of China, South Asia, Korea, the Japanese islands and the Far East, Ussuri bears can be found in Sikkim, Kashmir, Nepal (regions north of India) and the Himalayas. In the Celestial Empire, killing an animal is severely punished. On the territory of India, the animal has been inviolable since 1991. In the Land of the Rising Sun, white-breasted giants were listed in the Red Book in 1995. In the Russian Federation, the species was deleted from the Red Book in 1998. Since then, the unique animal can be hunted on any day of the year. The lifting of the ban was marked by a decline in the population. Within the Primorsky Territory, white-breasted representatives of the bear family are on the verge of destruction.
The range of enemies of the Himalayan bear in the natural environment is limited to the Amur tiger and brown bear. Sometimes clubfoot conflicts with wolves and lynxes. Mainly young animals take part in the confrontation. Even their enemies try to avoid seasoned 5-year-old bears.
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Himalayan bear, representative of the clubfoot bear. This species is very calm, so their attacks on people are very rare.
It is most often found in zoos due to its very peaceful appearance, although it is difficult to read any emotions, so it is easier for trainers to work with lions than with a clubfoot.
The Himalayan bear has other names, it is called the black Himalayan bear, white-breasted bear, Ussuri bear and even the moon bear.
Habitat
The moon bear is found in Russia in the Amur region and throughout the Ussuri region, also on the Japanese islands and in East Asia.
Favorite habitat: forested mountains, not far from a river or stream. Bears can be seen in the summer.
Appearance
The Himalayan bear is similar to its brown relative, only larger in size. Body length 1.2 - 1.9 m, height at withers 80 cm, weight 90 - 120 kg. The front part of the body is more massive compared to the back. The muzzle is pointed.
On the narrow head there are large shaggy ears. It is believed that the Himalayan bear has the largest ears of the entire bear family. The fur is short, thick, usually black, but there are brown bears and even with a red tint.
It has white fur on its V-shaped chest, which is why it is called the moon bear.
Lifestyle
The Himalayan bear is good at climbing trees, where it spends most of its life. It goes into hibernation in November and wakes up in April. The place for sleeping is preferably given to hollows in trees, the height of which can reach fifteen meters from the ground.
white-breasted bear with cub photo
Pregnant females go to bed first, females with last year's cubs go to bed later, and males go to bed last. The first months of sleep are light, later deep sleep sets in. After leaving the winter hut, the animals are active all the time of the day in search of food and restoration of fat reserves.
This species is not prone to nomadism and chooses a square of habitat of slightly less than ten kilometers, here it grazes, but sometimes wanders in search of food; it happens that several individuals eat at once in one area. The main enemies of these animals are tigers and brown bears.
Bear food
Individuals of this species, living in Primorye and the Far East, are mainly vegetarians; their diet includes berries, acorns, nuts and honey. From the scratches he made on the birch tree, the animal, not without pleasure, licked off the juice.
In tropical forests, the animal obtains food more often by hunting small animals, but it does not disdain ungulates. Immediately after hibernation, individuals feed on last year's harvest of pine nuts and look for bark beetles in rotten trees.
The bear also eats termites and other insects, eats rhizomes, bulbs, shoots of grasses and shrubs.
But in the summer and autumn seasons, the bear gives preference to bird cherry berries. Sitting on the branches of a tree, he breaks off whole branches with berries, puts them around himself, and eats them in armfuls.
Reproduction
The rut occurs at the beginning of mid-summer. At this time, males fight for territory, but they are not distinguished by cruelty. The female's pregnancy lasts 6 - 8 months. The birth of babies (2 - 4 bear cubs) occurs in the winter months.
Himalayan bears photos
The little cubs weigh about 350 grams each, and they do not leave their mother for a year and a half. For the first time after hibernation, the mother and offspring do not stray far from the den, and when the babies get stronger and the grass rises, then they can allow themselves to move away from the shelter.
The Himalayan bear is a predatory mammal of the order Ursidae.
In fact, the Ussuri clubfoot does not attack humans and in 80% of cases feeds on plant foods. Don't mind trying some honey.
Appearance
It vaguely resembles a drill bear, but is inferior in size. The length of the predator is 170 cm, and its weight is approximately 140 kg. Females are even smaller.
The fur is raven-colored, thick and short. There is a distinctive mark on his chest - a white V-shaped stripe, for this he is called moon bear . Since this decoration is very similar to the month.
The limbs are proportional, the forelimbs are stronger than the hind limbs. The bear's paws have small but sharp and curved claws, which makes it easier to climb trees. The muzzle is elongated with large round splayed ears. Lips are mobile. The handsome man is very flexible, clumsiness is not his story. There are 42 teeth in the mouth. Tail 11 cm.
Environment and habitat
Number one on the list is the Himalayas, hence the name. The white-breasted predator is also found in Afghanistan, Pakistan, the countries of Japan and Korea and part of China (Manchuria).
Taxonomy
In Russia these are Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories. Captures areas of Yakutia and Taiwan. The white-breasted bear has several species:
- Baribal
- Giant polar bear
- Etruscan bear
- Cave bear
- Small cave bear
The population of our country is very reduced.
Lifestyle
The Himalayan bear loves to be in trees. He can wander for hours in search of food. And these are berries, nuts, acorns. On the ground there are rhizomes and bulbs of plants.
It settles in deciduous and cedar forests. During spawning, it eats dead fish. In special cases, it will not disdain carrion.
Nutrition
The white-breasted clubfoot has a sweet tooth. He ruins apiaries and steals hives, neutralizes bees by carrying him into the water. It goes into hibernation from November.
Sets up a rookery in tree hollows, about a few meters above the ground, and rests until spring.
The animal is strong and dexterous, it is capable of breaking the neck of a buffalo with one blow of its paw..
Reproduction
The Himalayan bear's mating season begins in midsummer. Bears live in families. Two adults and cubs from different litters. After mating, the female goes into a pre-prepared den.
Incubation period
Pregnancy lasts 8 months, delivery occurs during hibernation. Usually this is 1-2 bear cubs. Rarely 3. Cubs are fed with mother's milk and remain helpless for a long time.
The she-bear protects her offspring very zealously and can attack a person. At the age of 3 - 4 years they become independent. Bears offspring once a year.
Enemies
The black bear is attacked by its relative the brown bear and. A fight with the lynx may also break out.
Children are more likely to fall into the clutches of predators, but at the age of 5, they themselves fight back. Up to this mark, the female drives them into a tree, averting her attention and taking the fire on herself.
- Along with the Amur tiger, the bear shares the flag and coat of arms of Khabarovsk.
- They have an excellent sense of smell, superior to that of a dog, but their vision and hearing are not up to par.
- In Tibetan, clubfoot is also called “Meti,” which gives rise to legends about Bigfoot.
- They love to eat bird cherry.
- The heart rate slows down during hibernation, and they also do not leave excrement during this time.
- They sleep sitting.
Lifespan
In nature, the animal lives up to 25 years, in captivity up to 49. They are perfectly tamed, they are the ones you see performing in the circus on bicycles and scooters.
They are trainable and get used to people. A rehabilitation center has been built in the Khabarovsk Territory rescuing white-breasted bear cubs.
Red Book
The Himalayan white-breasted bear was deleted from the Red Data Book of Russia in 1998. Hunting is prohibited in Japan and China. But this does not prevent poachers from getting to valuable fur, as well as the gall bladder.
Bears in the heavenly paws are a delicacy. They are going to tighten the measures so that the species does not completely disappear from the face of the planet.
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