Wildlifeof China
Himalayan Brown Bear
Bears, Dogs & Otters
Photo: Antoine MARNAT · CC-BY
Ursus arctos
Basic stats
Diet
Grasses, sedges, roots, fruit, nuts, berries, fungi, insects, fish, mammals and carrion
Habitat
Tundra, taiga, forests, alpine meadows, scrub and desert margins
Range
Northern Eurasia and northwestern North America, including Himalayan and other Chinese populations
Litter size
Usually 2–3 cubs
Gestation period
180–266 days including delayed implantation
Size
1–2.8m head–body length
Weight
80–600kg, with substantial regional variation
The brown bear is a massive, powerfully built mammal with a prominent shoulder hump, long foreclaws and fur varying from cream or reddish-brown to nearly black. Size differs dramatically among regions and sexes: adults measure 1–2.8m from head to rump and weigh 80–600kg, with males generally larger. The species-level measurements encompass many geographically distinct populations and should not be read as specific to Himalayan bears. (Animal Diversity Web)
Across its range, the brown bear occupies habitats from tundra and taiga to mountain forest, alpine meadow and desert margin, provided suitable cover is available. It is generally solitary and primarily terrestrial, although it swims readily. Its highly flexible diet changes seasonally and includes grasses, roots, berries, nuts, fungi, insects, burrowing mammals, carrion and fish. Bears commonly excavate sheltered winter dens and line them with dry vegetation. (Animal Diversity Web)
Quick answers
- What does the Himalayan Brown Bear eat?
- Grasses, sedges, roots, fruit, nuts, berries, fungi, insects, fish, mammals and carrion
- What habitat does the Himalayan Brown Bear live in?
- Tundra, taiga, forests, alpine meadows, scrub and desert margins
- Where is the Himalayan Brown Bear found?
- Northern Eurasia and northwestern North America, including Himalayan and other Chinese populations
- What is the litter size of the Himalayan Brown Bear?
- Usually 2–3 cubs
- How long is the gestation period of the Himalayan Brown Bear?
- 180–266 days including delayed implantation
- How big is the Himalayan Brown Bear?
- 1–2.8m head–body length
- How much does the Himalayan Brown Bear weigh?
- 80–600kg, with substantial regional variation