The bear is a predator or herbivore. Types of bears

The Bears considered the largest of the predators now living on our planet. Despite this, they are more likely than other predatory mammals to prefer plant foods over animal meat.

Bear appearance

Teeth and claws: The fangs of bears are quite powerful, as in other predatory animals. The molars have a flat, uneven, chewing surface. This is due to a mixed diet, bears eat both animal and plant foods. Each paw has five long toes with large and sharp claws that do not retract. With the help of this tool, bears dig out edible roots and fruits from the ground. In addition, with sharp claws, the predator tears the prey into small pieces.

Sense organs: Bears have small, set close to each other eyes. The fields of view of both eyes overlap, so the animal sees objects as three-dimensional. In general, bears have poor eyesight. Hearing is also not very well developed. The bear has a better sense of smell. The bear often stands up on its hind legs and turns its head around to explore its nose and get information about its surroundings.

Communication: Bears communicate with each other through sounds and body movements. For example, the position of an animal's ears conveys information about the owner's mood. Having met, the bears raise their heads to each other and growl without opening their mouths. The flat teeth of a bear will grind any food. Giant Brown bear catches fish in the rivers.

Ways to travel: Bears have rather short limbs. They walk, leaning on the entire surface of the foot. The paws of bears are curved in the shape of the letter "O", so these animals are clubfoot and walk, waddling from side to side. But, when danger arises or when pursuing prey, bears are able to trot and even gallop. In case of danger, the bear stands on its hind legs. Cubs and adults of some species climb trees and swim, and polar bear is the only mammal, which swims only with the help of the forelimbs.
Body Structure: Various they differ in size, but their structure is similar: a powerful body, short strong paws, a massive head and a very short tail.

Coat: Bear hair comes in several types, ranging from the thick yellowish-white coat of the polar bear to the long, fluffy coat of the Gubach. The fur of most species of bears has a brown color, perfectly camouflages animals in the forest.

Did you know? That the giant brown bear living on the territory North America, in other languages ​​is called "Kodiak". This is the name of the island on which these representatives of the subspecies are found. A bear standing on its hind legs can reach up to 3 m in height.
The polar bear can be found in the open sea at a distance of 80 km from the coast.
Bears walk slowly, waddling, but if necessary, they can reach speeds of up to 50 km / h. The grizzly's menu is 80% plant based.

The ranges of the polar bear and arctic fox are located in the Far North. They are hardy mammals. Almost all bears are on the verge of extinction and are protected by law.
Once upon a time, many brown bears lived in Europe. Now their numbers have declined, but they still remain the most numerous species in the family. The polar bear in the past was an object of fishing. People ate his meat and sewed clothes from his skin.
The polar bear is better than other animals acclimatized in the permafrost area.

Seven species of bears belonging to four genera live mainly in the Northern Hemisphere. Only the spectacled bear lives in the south. All bears, with the exception of the polar bear, which inhabits snowy arctic deserts, are inhabitants of dense forests. Their only enemy is man. Now only two species of bears are not threatened with extinction.

Origin of bears

The first bear, the ancestor of all modern species bears (Ursavus), who lived on Earth 20 million years ago. It was the size of a small dog and inhabited the territory of modern Europe, where hot weather dominated at that time. subtropical climate, rich in generous vegetation. Bears, along with foxes, dogs and raccoons, descend from their common ancestor - little predator family Miacidae, who lived 30-40 million years ago and climbed trees. As a result of evolution, new types of bears arose, which gradually became larger, larger and stronger. Many, including the cave bear, which was larger than modern bears, died out. The youngest species in the family is the polar bear, which appeared 70,000 years ago.

1. Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus): body length 1.3-1.8 m. The only representative of the family in South America.
2. Malayan bear (Helarctos malayanus): body length 1-1.4 m. This small member of the family lives in tropical forests South-East Asia. Occurs rarely.
3. Gubach (Melursus ursinus): body length 1.4-1.8 m. Lives in the jungles of India and Sri Lanka. Herbivorous. It picks up termites and insects with its lips and tongue.
4. Polar bear (Ursus maritimus): body length 1.8-3 m. Inhabits the northern regions of the Arctic, feeds mainly on seals.
5. Brown bear (Ursus arctos): 2-3 m long, lives in North America, Europe and Asia. There are several subspecies: the grizzly bear, the giant brown bear, and the European brown bear.
6. Baribal, black bear (Ursus americanus): body length 1.3-1.8 m, found in the forests of North America. Like other members of the family, it eats a mixed diet.
7. White-breasted bear (Ursus thibetanus): body length 1.4-2 m. Lives in forests and spends most of its time in trees. It feeds on herbs, fruits and berries.

bear breeding

Bears live alone, meeting only during the breeding season. The mating period, depending on the species, falls on different time of the year. Some types of bears, in particular the Malayan, can breed throughout the year - they live in tropical rainforests, where they have enough food. In addition, the Malayan bear is monogamous. After mating, the male and female separate. Only the she-bear is engaged in the upbringing of the offspring.

The duration of pregnancy is 180-250 days and depends on the type of bears. The bear brood consists of 1-4 cubs, which are born blind, toothless, covered with sparse hair. They spend at least a year in family nest feeding on mother's milk. The polar bear never lacks food and therefore does not fall into winter sleep. However, pregnant females and mothers with cubs fall into hibernation. In spring, the she-bear leaves the den, accompanied by fluffy and playful cubs. The cubs relentlessly follow her, learning to find food and recognize danger. Bears of various species reach sexual maturity at the age of 2.5-5 years.

Lifestyle of bears

Bears are territorial animals. Each individual is the owner of a fairly large area, controls where it hunts and hibernates. Females live with cubs for up to two years. Bears are avid loners, but in places rich in food, for example, in a berry meadow, several individuals can be found at once. When they are satisfied, they disperse. But the bear invaded someone else's territory, waiting for a meeting with the owner, which may end in a collision. The search for food takes a lot of time, so the bears are active both day and night. Bears sleep in disguised shelters - lairs, which are located in depressions under the roots of trees. The white-breasted bear builds a nest in a tree. Bears of the genus Ursus, living in cold climatic zones, hibernate in winter. Winter sleep lasts from 78 to 200 days. The exact time depends on the area. During hibernation, bears make a lair for themselves among the windbreak, under the roots of trees, or dig it on the slopes of mountains and hills. They line and insulate their dens with grass, leaves and moss. Bears go into long hibernation in order to survive the hungry winter period.

brown or common bear, is a predatory mammal from the bear family. This is one of the largest and dangerous species land predators. About twenty subspecies of the brown bear are distinguished, differing appearance and distribution area.

Description and appearance

The appearance of a brown bear is typical for all representatives of the bear family. The body of the animal is well developed and powerful.

Appearance

There is a high withers, as well as a fairly massive head with small ears and eyes. The length of the relatively short tail varies between 6.5-21.0 cm. The paws are quite strong and well developed, with powerful and non-retractable claws. The feet are very wide, five-fingered.

Brown bear sizes

The average length of a brown bear living in the European part, as a rule, is about one and a half to two meters with a body weight in the range of 135-250 kg. Individuals inhabiting the middle zone of our country are several smaller and can weigh approximately 100-120 kg. The Far Eastern bears and are considered the largest, the sizes of which often reach three meters.

Skin color

The color of the brown bear is quite variable. Differences in coloration of the skin depend on the habitat, and the color of the fur can vary from a light fawn shade to bluish-black. Brown color is considered standard.

It is interesting! A characteristic feature of the grizzly is the presence of hair with whitish ends on the back, due to which a kind of gray hair is present on the coat. Individuals with a grayish-white coloration are found in the Himalayas. Animals with reddish-brown fur inhabit Syria.

Lifespan

AT natural conditions The average life span of a brown bear is approximately twenty to thirty years. In captivity, this species can live for fifty years, and sometimes more. Rare individuals survive vivo until the age of fifteen.

Brown bear subspecies

The type of brown bear includes several subspecies or so-called geographic races, which differ in size and color.

The most common subspecies:

• European brown bear with a body length of 150-250 cm, a tail length of 5-15 cm, a height at the withers of 90-110 cm and an average weight of 150-300 kg. A large subspecies with a powerful physique and a pronounced hump at the withers. The general color varies from light greyish-yellow to blackish-dark brown. The fur is thick, quite long;
• Caucasian brown bear with an average body length of 185-215 cm and a body weight of 120-240 kg. The coat is short, coarse, of a paler coloration than that of the Eurasian subspecies. The color varies from a pale straw color to a uniform gray-brown color. There is a pronounced, large dark-colored spot in the withers;
• East Siberian brown bear weighing up to 330-350 kg and large skull. The fur is long, soft and dense, with a pronounced sheen. The coat is light brown or blackish brown or dark brown in color. Some individuals are characterized by the presence in the color of fairly well-marked yellowish and black shades;
• Ussuri or Amur brown bear. In our country, this subspecies is well known under the name black grizzly. The average body weight of an adult male can vary between 350-450 kg. The subspecies is characterized by the presence of a large and well-developed skull with an elongated nose. The skin is almost black. Distinctive feature is the presence long hair on the ears.

One of the largest subspecies in our country is the Far Eastern or Kamchatka brown bear, whose average body weight often exceeds 450-500 kg. Large adults have a large, massive skull and a broad, raised front of the head. The fur is long, dense and soft, pale yellow, blackish brown or completely black in color.

The area where the brown bear lives

The range of natural distribution of brown bears has undergone significant changes over the past century. Previously, subspecies were found in vast territories stretching from England to Japanese islands, as well as from Alaska to central Mexico.

Today, due to the active extermination of brown bears and their eviction from inhabited territories, the most numerous predator groups are recorded only in the western part of Canada, as well as in Alaska and in the forest zones of our country.

Bear lifestyle

The period of activity of the predator falls on twilight, early morning and evening hours. The brown bear is a very sensitive animal, orienting itself in space mainly with the help of hearing and smell. Low vision is typical. Despite their impressive size and large body weight, brown bears are almost silent, fast and very easy to move predators.

It is interesting! The average running speed is 55-60 km/h. Bears swim quite well, but they are able to move through deep snow with great difficulty.

Brown bears belong to the category of sedentary animals, but young animals separated from the family are able to roam and actively look for a partner. Bears mark and defend the boundaries of their territory. AT summer period bears rest directly on the ground, nestled among forbs and low shrubs. With the onset of autumn, the beast begins to prepare a reliable winter shelter for itself.

Food and prey of the brown bear

Brown bears are omnivores, but the basis of the diet is vegetation, represented by berries, acorns, nuts, roots, tubers and stem parts of plants. In a lean year, oats and corn serve as a good substitute for berries. Also, the diet of a predator necessarily includes all kinds of insects, represented by ants, worms, lizards, frogs, field and forest rodents.

Large adult predators are able to attack young artiodactyls. Roe deer, fallow deer, deer, wild boar and elk can become prey. An adult brown bear can, with a single blow with its paw, break the spine of its prey, after which it fills it with brushwood and guards it until the carcass is completely eaten. Near water areas, some subspecies of brown bears hunt seals, fish and seals.

Grizzlies are able to attack the baribal bear and take prey from smaller predators.

It is interesting! Regardless of age, brown bears have an excellent memory. These wild animals are able to easily memorize mushroom or berry places, as well as quickly find their way to them.

Spawning salmon becomes the basis of the diet of the Far Eastern brown bear in summer and autumn. In lean and fodder-poor years large predator able to attack even domestic animals and grazing livestock.

Reproduction and offspring

The mating season of a brown bear lasts a couple of months and begins in May, when males enter into fierce fights. Females mate with several adult males at once. Latent pregnancy consists in the development of the embryo only at the stage of hibernation of the animal. The female carries the cubs for about six to eight months.. Blind and deaf, completely helpless and covered with sparse hair cubs are born in a den. As a rule, the female bears two or three babies, whose growth at the time of birth does not exceed a quarter of a meter and weighs 450-500 g.

It is interesting! In the den, the cubs feed on milk and grow up to three months, after which they have milk teeth and they become able to independently feed on berries, vegetation and insects. However, on breastfeeding cubs are up to a year and a half or more.

Not only the female takes care of the offspring, but also the so-called foster daughter, who appeared in the previous litter. Next to the female, the cubs live until about three or four years old, until they reach puberty. The offspring of the female acquires, as a rule, once every three years.

Hibernation of the brown bear

The sleep of a brown bear is completely different from the period of hibernation characteristic of other mammalian species. During hibernation, the brown bear's body temperature, respiration rate, and pulse remain practically unchanged. The bear does not fall into a state of complete stupor, and in the first days it only dozes.

At this time, the predator listens sensitively and reacts to the slightest danger by leaving the den. In a warm and snowy winter, if available a large number food, some males do not dive into hibernation. Sleep comes only with the onset of severe frosts and can last less than a month. In a dream, the reserves of subcutaneous fat, which was accumulated in the summer and autumn, are wasted.

Preparation for sleep

Winter shelters are equipped by adults in reliable, deaf and dry places, under a windbreak or the roots of a fallen tree. The predator is able to independently dig a deep lair in the ground or occupy mountain caves and rock crevices. Pregnant brown bears try to arrange for themselves and their offspring a deeper and more spacious, warm lair, which is then lined with moss from the inside, spruce branches and fallen leaves.

It is interesting! Bear cubs of the year always spend the winter period with their mother. Such a company can be joined by cubs-lonchaks of the second year of life.

All adult and lone predators hibernate alone. The exception is individuals living on the territory of Sakhalin and Kuril Islands. Here, the presence of several adults in one den at once is often observed.

Hibernation duration

Depending on the weather conditions and some other factors, brown bears are able to stay in a den for up to six months. The period when the bear lies in the den, as well as the duration of hibernation itself, may depend on the conditions set weather features, the yield of the fattening forage base, sex, age parameters and even the physiological state of the animal.

It is interesting! An old and fattened wild animal goes to hibernation much earlier, even before a significant snow cover falls, and young and underfed individuals lie in a den in November-December.

The period of occurrence stretches for a couple of weeks or several months. Pregnant females are the first to winter. Lastly, the dens are occupied by old males. The same place for hibernation in winter can be used by a brown bear for several years.

Rod Bears

Shatun is a brown bear that did not have time to accumulate a sufficient amount of subcutaneous fat and, for this reason, is not able to hibernate. In the process of searching for any food, such a predator is able to roam around the neighborhood all winter. As a rule, such a brown bear moves unsteadily, has a shabby and relatively exhausted appearance.

It is interesting! When meeting with dangerous opponents, brown bears emit a very loud roar, stand on their hind legs and try to knock down their opponent with a strong blow from their front powerful paws.

Hunger makes the beast often appear in close proximity to human habitation. The connecting rod bear is typical of northern regions characterized by severe winters, including the territory of the Far East and Siberia. A mass invasion of connecting rod bears can be observed in lean seasons, about once every ten years. Hunting for connecting rod bears is not a fishing activity, but a forced measure.

We all know these powerful animals from childhood. But few people know what types of bears exist. Pictures in children's books most often introduced us to brown and polar bears. It turns out that on Earth there are several species of these animals. Let's get to know them better.

Bear appearance

If we compare bears with other predators, then they differ in the most uniform appearance, features internal structure, sizes. Currently, these are the largest representatives of terrestrial predatory animals. For example, polar bears can reach a body length of up to three meters with a weight of 750 and even 1000 kg!

Animal fur has a well-developed undercoat, it is rather rough to the touch. The hairline is high. Only he cannot boast of such a fur coat - his cover is low and rare.

The color is varied - from black to white, it can be contrasting. The color does not change with the seasons.

Lifestyle

Different types of bears live in the most different conditions. They feel great in the steppes and highlands, in forests and in the Arctic ice. In this regard, bear species differ in their diet and lifestyle. Most representatives of these predators prefer to settle in mountain or lowland forests, much less often in treeless highlands.

Bears are active mainly at night. The only exception is the polar bear - a species of animal that leads a daytime lifestyle.

Bears are omnivores. However, some species have a preference for one or another food. For example, a polar bear almost always eats the meat of mammals, for a panda there is no better delicacy than bamboo shoots. True, they supplement it with a small amount of animal food.

Variety of species

Quite often, animal lovers ask the question: “How many species of bears live on Earth?” For those who are interested in these animals, it seems that there are a myriad of them. Unfortunately, it is not. Today, our planet is inhabited by species of bears, the list of which can be presented as follows:

There are subspecies and varieties of these animals, but we will talk about this in another article.

brown bears

These are large and seemingly clumsy animals. They belong to the bear family. Body length - from 200 to 280 cm.

This is a fairly common look. lives throughout the Eurasian and North American forests. Today, this predator has completely disappeared from the territory of Japan, although in ancient times it was common here. On the territory of Western and Central Europe, a brown bear can be found quite rarely, in some mountainous areas. There is reason to believe that in these areas it is an endangered species. The brown bear is still widespread in Siberia, Far East and northern regions our country.

Brown bears are sedentary animals. A forest area occupied by one individual can reach several hundred square kilometers. It cannot be said that bears strictly guard the borders of their territories. Each site has permanent places where the animal feeds, builds temporary shelters and dens.

Despite being sedentary, this predator can roam in search of more abundant food over a distance of more than 300 kilometers in famine years.

hibernation

Everyone knows that brown bears hibernate in winter. Previously, he carefully prepares his lair, which he equips in hard-to-reach places - on islands in the middle of swamps, in a windbreak. The bear lines the bottom of its winter dwelling with dry grass or moss.

To safely survive the winter, the bear must accumulate at least fifty kilograms of fat. To do this, he eats about 700 kilograms of berries and about 500 kilograms of pine nuts, not counting other feeds. When there is a lean year for berries, bears in the northern regions make raids on fields sown with oats, and in the south - on corn crops. Some bears attack apiaries and ruin them.

Many believe that during hibernation, animals fall into suspended animation. This is not entirely true. They sleep pretty well. During hibernation, when the animal lies motionless, its cardiac and pulmonary systems slow down their activity. The body temperature of a bear ranges from 29 to 34 degrees. Every 5-10 breaths there is a long pause, sometimes lasting up to four minutes. In this state, the fat supply is used sparingly. If during this period the bear is raised from the den, it begins to quickly lose weight and is in dire need of food. Such a bear turns into a "tramp", or, as the people call it, a connecting rod. In this state, he is very dangerous.

Depending on the climatic conditions the predator can hibernate for three to six months. If there is food in southern regions bears generally may not fall into continuous hibernation, but fall asleep only for a short time. Females with one-year-old cubs sleep in the same den.

Food

Different types of bears prefer to eat different foods. Animals of this species most often feed on fruits, berries and other plant foods, but sometimes they can eat ants, insect larvae, rodents, along with winter supplies. Quite rarely, males hunt forest ungulates. Despite the outward clumsiness, the brown bear can be very fast and agile. He stealthily sneaks up on his prey and grabs it in a quick throw. At the same time, its speed reaches 50 km / h.

White bears

IUCN - The International Union for Conservation of Nature for the first time in several years has expanded the list of animals that are on the verge of extinction. It has new species. Polar bears were included not only in this international list, but also in the Red Book of Russia. To date, their number is only 25 thousand individuals. According to scientists, this population will decrease by almost 70% in the next 50 years.

Rare species of bears (you can see the photo in our article), which recently include white individuals, suffer from industrial pollution of their habitats, global warming and, of course, poaching.

Appearance

Many believe that white, polar, northern, sea or oshkuy are polar bear species. In fact, this is the name of one species predatory mammal from the bear family, the closest relative of the brown bear.

Its length is three meters, weight - about a ton. The largest animals are found off the coast, the smallest - on Svalbard.

Polar bears are distinguished from other species by their long hair and flat head. The color can be completely white or with a yellowish tinge. AT summer time fur turns yellow when exposed to sunlight. The skin of these animals is black.

The soles of the paws are reliably protected by wool so as not to slip on the ice and not to freeze.

Lifestyle and nutrition

According to scientists, the polar bear is the most predatory of the whole family. After all, he practically does not consume plant foods. Different kinds bears (whose photos and names are posted in our article) are almost never the first to attack a person. Unlike their counterparts, the polar bear often preys on people.

The main "menu" of these predators are seals, mainly ringed seal. In addition, he feeds on any animals that he manages to kill. It can be rodents, birds, walruses, whales washed ashore. For the predator itself, killer whales are dangerous, which can sometimes attack in the water.

reproduction

In October, females begin to dig a den in the snow. In mid-November, they settle there. Pregnancy lasts 230-240 days. Cubs are born at the end of the Arctic winter. For the first time, the female brings offspring when she is 4-6 years old. Cubs appear once every two or three years. There are from one to three cubs in a litter. Newborns are completely helpless, weighing about 750 grams. The babies begin to see in a month, after two months their teeth erupt, the babies begin to gradually leave the den. They do not part with a bear until a year and a half. Polar bears are infertile, so their numbers are recovering too slowly.

black bear

It is also called baribal. Its body length is 1.8 m, weight is about 150 kg. The bear has a sharp muzzle, high paws with long and sharp claws, short and smooth black hair. Sometimes the color is black-brown, except for the light yellow muzzle.

The black bear feeds exclusively on plant foods - larvae, insects, and small vertebrates.

Pregnancy of the female lasts up to 210 days, cubs are born in January-February, weighing 400 grams, stay with their mother until April.

Himalayan bear

This animal is inferior in size to the brown one. In addition, these types of bears differ in appearance. The Himalayan bear has a more slender physique, a thin muzzle. Thick and lush hair usually has a black color with a white, sometimes yellowish spot on the chest (it resembles the letter V in shape).

Large adults can reach a length of 170 cm with a weight of 140-150 kg. Habitat - East Asia. In the west, it can be found in Afghanistan, Indochina, on the southern slopes of the Himalayas. On the territory of our country, it is found only in the Ussuri Territory, north of the Amur.

In spring it feeds on last year's acorns and pine nuts. In summer, it enjoys eating juicy grass, berries, and insects. There is evidence that in South Asia it often attacks domestic animals and can be dangerous to humans.

There are usually two cubs in a litter. Their weight does not exceed 400 grams. They develop very slowly, even at the age of a month and a half, they are completely helpless.

Spectacle bear

We continue to study the types of bears, getting acquainted with the native South America. He settles in the mountains - from Colombia to Northern Chile. This is a spectacled bear - not a very animal large sizes. Its body, no more than 1.7 m long, weighs about 140 kg.

The bear is covered with thick, shaggy hair of black or black-brown color, with white spots around the eyes (hence its name). Preferring mountains, the animal also often appears on meadow slopes. Its biology is still poorly understood, but at the same time, scientists consider it the most herbivorous in the entire family. He is a lover of leaves and roots, fruits and branches of young shrubs. Sometimes, for his favorite delicacy, he climbs high palm trees, breaks young branches, and then eats them on the ground.

sloth bear

For our compatriots, the last animals on our list are exotic species of bears. You can see their photos and names in numerous domestic and foreign publications about animals.

The sloth bear is an inhabitant of tropical countries. He lives in the forests of Hindustan and Ceylon. In length it can be up to 1.8 m, weight is about 140 kg. This is a rather slender animal, on high legs, with huge claws. The muzzle is somewhat pointed. There is a light V-shaped mark on the chest. The bear is active at night. During the day, he sleeps soundly, while (which is typical only for this species), he snores surprisingly loudly.

Gubach feeds mainly on fruits and insects. With the help of huge claws, he easily breaks rotten, dilapidated tree trunks, and then he uses an amazing device that can resemble a pump. The long muzzle of the animal has very mobile lips, which are extended, forming a kind of tube.

The sloth has no upper pair of incisors, as a result of which oral cavity there is a gap. This feature allows the animal to extract termites. First, he blows out all the dust and dirt from the “house” of insects, and then draws the prey through his lips extended into a tube.

Mating sloths occurs in June, after seven months 2-3 babies appear. They spend 3 months in the shelter with their mother. At first, the father of the family takes care of his cubs, which is not typical of other bear species.

Panda

This animal, 1.2 m long and weighing up to 160 kg, lives in the mountain forests of the western provinces of China. Prefers loneliness, except during mating. It's usually spring.

Offspring appears in January. Mostly 2 cubs are born, weighing about two kilograms each. Unlike other bears, it does not hibernate. It feeds on various plants, bamboo roots, sometimes small rodents and fish.

Biruang

This is the name of the Malayan bear. This is the smallest representative of the bear family. The length of his body does not exceed 1.4 m, height is no more than 0.7 m, weight is about 65 kg. Despite its modest size, compared to its brethren, the animal is strong. Biruang has a short muzzle, wide paws with powerful curved claws. The body of the animal is covered with smooth, short, straight black hair. On the chest there is a mark of white or orange color, in the form of a horseshoe. The muzzle is orange or grey. Sometimes the legs are also light.

Biruang is a nocturnal animal, so during the day it sleeps and basks in the sun's rays, in the branches of trees. By the way, he perfectly climbs trees and feels completely comfortable on them.

It feeds on young shoots. The female brings two cubs. The animal does not hibernate.

Omnivorous is a way of obtaining energy and nutrients through the consumption of food of animal and vegetable origin. Animals with such a diet are considered "omnivorous". Most people, with the exception of vegans who completely exclude animal products, are also omnivores.

Term meaning

The word "omnivorous" comes from the Latin words omnis"everything" and vora, which means "devour or swallow" - so omnivorous means "devouring everything". This is a fairly accurate definition, since omnivores have different sources food, including algae, plants, fungi and other animals. Some animals may be omnivores throughout their lives, while others may be omnivores at certain stages of life (for example, some sea ​​turtles).

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of omnivorousness is the ability to find food in the most different places and environmental conditions. For example, if it is not possible to eat a certain food, an omnivore can quite easily change its diet. Some omnivores are also scavengers, meaning they feed on dead animals or plants, further increasing their feeding options.

Omnivores have to find their own food, and because they have such a varied diet, their ways of obtaining food are not as specialized as those of carnivores or herbivores. For example, carnivores have sharp teeth for tearing and grasping prey, while herbivores have flatter teeth adapted for chopping up vegetation. Omnivores can have a mixture of both types of teeth (our molars and incisors, for example).

The disadvantages of being an omnivore can be well seen in some species of marine organisms that are very likely to invade non-native habitats. This has a cascading effect on native species that may be persecuted or displaced by invasive omnivores. An example is the Asian coast crab, native to the countries of the northwest. Pacific Ocean. It was introduced to Europe and the USA, while the food and habitat do not match it, and this animal causes significant damage to the existing ones.

Examples of omnivores

mammals

• Pig: this is probably the most famous representative of omnivores, and currently this species is popular among people - it is kept as pet or raised for meat.
• Bear: These animals are one of the most opportunistic creatures, as they adapt very well to different environments. If there are many fruits in the area where they live, then the bears will feed on them. If instead there is a river with a lot of fish, the bear will catch them all day. The panda, a member of the bear family, is also considered an omnivore, as it can diversify its bamboo diet with rodents or small birds.
  The only exception is the carnivorous polar bear, possibly due to the lack of plant food in its natural Arctic habitat.
• Hedgehog: Many people think that hedgehog eats insects and small things, but these little creatures like to occasionally eat fruits and vegetables.
• Other omnivorous mammals: raccoons, mice, squirrels, sloths, chipmunks, skunks, chimpanzees, and of course humans.

Birds

• Crows: As shown in many films, they are always on the lookout for animal remains, but other than dead carcasses, they also tend to eat vegetables when other food sources are unavailable.
• Chickens: they are complete opposite small child because they absorb everything. Whatever you give her, the chicken will swallow it without a moment's hesitation.
• Ostriches: Although their main diet includes vegetables and plants, these animals are lovers of all kinds of insects.
• Magpies: These birds also eat almost everything, although they tend to become food for dogs and parrots.

marine organisms

• Many types of crabs (including blue crabs, ghost crabs and Asian coastal crabs);
• horseshoe crabs;
• Lobsters (for example, American lobster, real spiny lobster);
• Some sea turtles olive turtles and the Australian green turtle are omnivores. Green turtles are herbivorous as adults, but the young are omnivores. Loggerhead turtles become carnivores as adults, but they are omnivores when they are young.
• Common littorinas - these small snails feed mainly on algae, but can also eat small animals (for example, barnacle larvae).
• Some types of zooplankton;
• Sharks are generally carnivorous, although whale sharks and giant sharks can be considered omnivores as they are filter feeders and feed on plankton. As they swim through the water with open huge mouths, the plankton they consume can include both plant and animal organisms. Mussels and barnacles can also be considered omnivores as they filter small organisms (which may contain both phytoplankton and zooplankton) from the water.

Omnivores and levels of the food chain

In the marine (and terrestrial) world there are producers and consumers. are organisms that produce their own food. These include plants, algae, and some types of bacteria. The producers are at the base.

These are organisms that must consume other organisms in order to survive. All animals, including omnivores, are consumers.

There are trophic levels in the food chain, which are the food levels of animals and plants. The first trophic level includes producers because they produce food that feeds the rest of the food chain. The second trophic level includes herbivores that feed on producers. At the third trophic level are omnivorous and carnivorous organisms.

To the question bears are herbivores or predators, asked by the author Elena Yakshigulova the best answer is Bears are omnivores. They eat grass, berries, mushrooms, they will not give up fish, especially meat, they fatten up - they eat everything until they are completely stupefied.
But pandas only eat bamboo, while polar bears prefer seal and seal fat.

Answer from Anastasia[newbie]
Predators))

Answer from merman[guru]
predators of course

Answer from Artyom Kirillov[master]
omnivores!!

Answer from Anyushka Selivanova[active]
predators, but from hunger they can pick up raspberries and chew grass =)

Answer from Anton Shefer[newbie]
The bear is an omnivore, just like humans.

Answer from Nastya Ropcea[master]
omnivores

Answer from Natasha[guru]
Bears (lat. Ursidae) - a family of mammals of the predatory order. They differ from other representatives of the canine in a more stocky physique. Bears are omnivorous, climb and swim well, run fast, can stand and walk short distances on their hind legs. They have a short tail, long and thick hair, as well as excellent sense of smell and hearing. They hunt in the evening or at dawn. Usually fearful of humans, but can be dangerous in areas where they are accustomed to humans, especially polar bear and a grizzly bear. Immune to bee stings. In nature natural enemies almost do not have.

Answer from Marina Mirutenko[guru]

Answer from Olesya Yudintseva (Yumasheva)[newbie]
100% carnivorous predators, because they eat meat and hunt. Only carnivores can hunt and eat meat, first of all, and only then fish, mushrooms, nuts, honey, berries, grass, roots. But herbivores cannot eat meat.

Answer from Lyudmila Valentinovna[guru]
white bear, grizzly, spectacled bear and many more members of the bear family eat- berries, nuts, honey, rodents, carrion, large mammals, other plants. FROM THE ORDER THEY ARE PREDATORS. but the koala, belonging to the marsupial bear family, is a herbivorous bear.

Answer from Iodionov Sergey[guru]
the bear is omnivorous. He eats almost everything that can be eaten. in the summer, plant foods predominate, most of the animal protein in the bear's diet is small animals. rodents. insects. the bear is engaged in hunting directly, especially hunting for large animals, extremely rarely only in the absence of more accessible and less "dangerous" food

Answer from Ѝyvind Storm of the Fjords[guru]
Bears are omnivores. In principle, they eat plant food all the time, and animal food only when it falls into their paws.

Answer from KOMOV MICHAEL[guru]
Browns are omnivores. Whites are predators

Answer from Alesya Benitsevich[newbie]
omnivorous

Answer from Marat Timirgalin[active]
omnivorous

Answer from Jena Sluchic[newbie]
Differently

Answer from Gulnara Abulkhanova[newbie]
Anatomically predatory. Teeth, that and that. And constantly on plant foods, he can not. But in last years in many regions, the bear is increasingly using plant foods. In this regard, its numbers are growing, in some places it is much larger than the wolf. That is, it sort of climbs off the top of the food pyramid.