/r/bears

Photograph via snooOG

This is the home to all eight species of bears - American Black Bears, Brown Bears, Polar Bears, Asiatic Black (Moon) Bears, Sun Bears, Sloth Bears, Giant Pandas, and Spectacled (Andean) Bears.

"Bears are made of the same dust as we, and breathe the same winds and drink of the same waters. A bear's days are warmed by the same sun, his dwellings are overdomed by the same blue sky, and his life turns and ebbs with heart-pulsings like ours, and was poured from the same First Fountain. And whether he at last goes to our stingy heaven or no, he has terrestrial immortality. His life not long, not short, knows no beginning, no ending."

~ John Muir


What kind of bear is best?

This is the home to all eight species of bears - American Black Bears, Brown Bears, Polar Bears, Asiatic Black (Moon) Bears, Sun Bears, Sloth Bears, Giant Pandas, and Spectacled (Andean) Bears.


Read our Community Rules!

Be excellent to one another, be respectful, be kind, be one with the bears.


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Information

Useful Resources


Did You Know?

Six species of bears are classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List, even the least concern species, Brown Bears, are at risk of extirpation in some countries.

Find out how you can help!


Some Bear Videos


Bear Subreddits

Related Subreddits

/r/bears

49,255 Subscribers

212

We are going for a ride!

6 Comments
2024/03/26
11:44 UTC

6

Just found this footprint which I assume is from a bear but I'm not sure, is it?

3 Comments
2024/03/24
19:19 UTC

167

Bears are so cute...look at this one's ears and paw prints

4 Comments
2024/03/24
17:04 UTC

24

Can you Cook food in back country cabin in Alaska?

Next month a friend and I will be going to Alaska and making our way out to a back country cabin along the coast. There will be both black and brown bears in the area, they should be just starting to come out of hibernation. When we’re cooking/eating is it safe to do so inside the cabin or should we still follow the whole cook and store your foods 100 yards away rule that you would with tent camping?

9 Comments
2024/03/23
11:58 UTC

5

Bear Chuff, huffs . Too close Time to retreat calmly

4 Comments
2024/03/22
19:30 UTC

7

If a Grizzle was born in Kodiak, Alaska would it grow as big?

Kodiak bears are so big because there are hella salmon on their island, plus they only “evolved” 12,000 years ago.

Are Kodiak bears just insanely well fed grizzlies and we gave them a different name bc of their seemingly unnatural size?

3 Comments
2024/03/21
19:09 UTC

50

Normal day in Asheville, NC

0 Comments
2024/03/16
14:14 UTC

164

The Oregon Zoo has two extremely scrungly new black bear cubs.

Teenager-that-just-woke-up looking ass.

13 Comments
2024/03/12
18:49 UTC

14

Research: Asiatic Black Bears

I need help!

I need to come up with some possible research titles for my Masters.

Context:

  • Will spend time collecting data in Japan, with a conservation group specialising in Asiatic Black bears
  • Data available: As well as the few months I spend in japan, I will have access to prior data sets. this includes bear location data (telemetry, GPS), winter den data, feeding habits etc.
  • the area has a lot of human-wildlife conflict. things like rare poaching, but mostly animals disturbing towns and farms.

I was thinking something geared toward human/wildlife conflict, or toward the ecology of the bears in that context .e.g. distribution patterns in relation to the towns and farms.

ANY IDEAS would be super helpful. the masters is only 8 months long, so I can’t be too ambitious. a simple, solid question with simple methodology and a strong answer is best.

THANK YOU !!!

12 Comments
2024/03/12
10:52 UTC

65

Are there any bears that stand by a river and just eat fish all day to gain weight???

If I was a bear, I would grab the biggest fish I could out of the river and eat them. Just like a fat man eats twinkies. I would try to set the world record for most fish eaten in a day.

20 Comments
2024/03/08
05:00 UTC

50

Evening visitor

2 Comments
2024/03/04
06:15 UTC

343

Portrait of a handsome fella

11 Comments
2024/03/03
11:59 UTC

84

"It's going to be a long day. What are you packing?" "Nothing but the BEAR essentials..."

8 Comments
2024/03/01
08:24 UTC

44

Happy International Polar Bear Day! Learn about the first few months of a cub's life.

1 Comment
2024/02/27
21:18 UTC

37

Top Mom & Cub Fact #4: Cubs have to learn all about being a polar bear in just over two years.

3 Comments
2024/02/27
04:44 UTC

42

Top Mom & Cub Fact #5: Female polar bears start a new family about every three years.

1 Comment
2024/02/26
17:33 UTC

37

Top Mom & Cub Fact #6: The first years of a polar bear’s life are the most vulnerable.

3 Comments
2024/02/25
18:10 UTC

58

Fish on the Rocks [OC][BC][@bodkinsbestphotography]

3 Comments
2024/02/22
00:00 UTC

8

Question about possibly a bear

So Im in south east Va, and right now its in the 60s in the day and 30s or 20s, and its mid February. At night around 7 or 8 I go outside for a little bit and I hear what sounds like big branches breaking like a bear is walking around or something, this is my first time hearing something like that, and its coming from the woods about 100 yards away I think. I assume its a bear, Ive seen bear poop around and Ive heard people say that theyve seen one or two arund before but I never have. Could it be bears?

(I wasent able to post this in r/nature or r/wildlife so Im sorry if this is the wrong sub).

5 Comments
2024/02/19
01:57 UTC

7

The conditions of the animals in Bearizona, William AZ

I'm planning a trip to the park, but am wondering if the animals have it good there - so if I should support the park or not.

When I search for "animal wellfare Bearizona" a bunch of headline from 10 years ago come up. One source, e.g., states:

"Bearizona’s problems include:

·       In 2017, the USDA cited for Bearizona for improper storage of food and bedding and repeated failure to maintain enclosure in good repair to protect animals from injury and/or escape.[iv]

·       In 2016, the USDA issued an Official Warning against Bearizona for causing an animal trauma and harm, for failing to provide adequate veterinary care, and for an enclosure in disrepair.[v]

·       In 2016, the USDA issued a critical citation against Bearizona for insufficient perimeter fencing after an animal, presumably a cougar, entered the facility and killed a Dall lamb. In an earlier inspection, the USDA cited Bearizona for a handling violation after a Dall sheep was killed by a male goat after an employee left a gate open.[vi]

·       In 2015, the USDA cited Bearizona for failure to dispose of expired medications, enclosures in disrepair that could cause injury to animals, and filthy drinking water.[vii]

·       In 2014, Bearizona was cited repeatedly by the USDA for failure to provide adequate veterinary care to sick animals.[viii],[ix]

·       In 2014, Bearizona in Arizona was cited by the USDA for allowing an unqualified employee to administer anesthesia to an otter"

https://911animalabuse.com/bearizona-sean-and-dennis-casey/ (a reliable source?)

(Edit:spelling)

1 Comment
2024/02/18
16:06 UTC

18

Recommendation on a book about bears for little kids who are obsessed with bears.

My sister has a few young kids (4 yo to 8 yo) who absolutely love everything about bears. For most kids this would be the dinosaurs faze, but for them it is bears. If they loved dinosaurs I wold get them a book like this

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Dinosaurs-illustrations-photographs/dp/B00B1L92D8

Full of pictures and (a few) words about each dinosaur. Is there a similar book but for bears?

22 Comments
2024/02/17
19:49 UTC

79

Look up. Waaaay up. [OC][@bodkinsbestphotography][BC]

2 Comments
2024/02/13
15:17 UTC

76

That Stare...[OC][@bodkinsbestphotography][BC]

5 Comments
2024/02/09
18:27 UTC

123

This moon bear has a bread cube

Sergei Savostyanov (Getty Images)

3 Comments
2024/02/08
19:20 UTC

120

Icy bear

3 Comments
2024/02/08
15:42 UTC

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