Bears

A polar bear on glacial ice in southeast Greenland. 

A Clever Population of Polar Bears Survives on Glacial Ice in Greenland

The genetically distinct group of predators uses calved ice to hunt seals when the sea ice has melted

Haribo products are available in more than 100 countries, with 160 million Goldbears leaving factory floors around the world every day.

The Colorful History of Haribo Goldbears, the World's First Gummy Bears

2022 marks the centenary of the German candy company's flagship product

As the climate changes, polar bears are increasingly coming into contact with people.

Researchers Develop a 'Bear-Dar' That Warns Humans of Approaching Polar Bears

The artificial intelligence-powered radar system is needed as climate change brings the animals closer to towns

Visible in the entrance to their den are a mother black bear, who has been sedated, and her female cub. Scientists are watching to see how bears will tweak their hibernation habits as the climate warms.

Why Amazing Discoveries About Bear Hibernation May Help Improve Human Health

The creatures' annual protracted snoozes have much to tell us about the biology of mammals, ourselves included

A typical black bear in the western United States (pictured) is around half of Hank’s size.

DNA Shows At Least Three Large Black Bears Are Breaking Into Tahoe Homes, Not Just 'Hank the Tank'

Bears have damaged at least 30 properties in the area

Every summer, brown bears descend on Brooks River to pack on the pounds needed to survive their winter hibernation. 

Meet the Bodaciously Bulky Bears of Fat Bear Week 2021

The annual tournament celebrates Alaska’s chunkiest brown bears and their summer-long salmon feast

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You Could Own the Landmark That Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh's 'Poohsticks Bridge'

Built in 1907, the structure—expected to sell for between $54,000 and $81,000—is newly rebuilt and restored

In captivity under human care, a polar bear's life expectancy is about 23 years, per AP. Polar bears rarely live past 30 years old in the wild, with most adult bears dying before they reach 25.

North America's Oldest Polar Bear Living in Captivity Dies at 36 Years Old

Snow Lilly, who died at age 36, resided at the Milwaukee County Zoo for almost 16 years after arriving there in 2005

Antibacterial resistance--considered a major health threat--has been discovered on the teeth of wild brown bears in Sweden.

New Research

Antibiotic Resistance Found Deep in Forests of Scandinavia

A DNA analysis of wild brown bear teeth shows that the global health threat has spread to remote areas of Sweden

Grizzly bears in coastal British Columbia are more closely linked to Indigenous groups than previously realized.

Grizzly Bear Territories in Canada Match Maps of Indigenous Language Families

DNA analysis shows a distinct relationship between three distinct groups of grizzlies and Indigenous populations with different languages

An engraving of a polar bear hurling a rock at a walrus from Charles Francis Hall's 1865 book Arctic researches, and life among the Esquimaux.

Polar Bears Take Down Walruses by Hurling Rocks and Ice

New research corroborates Inuit knowledge of the animals cleverly using new tools

Using growth layers on the bear's skull, the researchers dated the remains at 35,000 years old and concluded that the cave bear was an adult around ten years old when it died.

This 35,000-Year-Old Skull Could Be the First Evidence of Humans Hunting Small Cave Bears

The hole in the specimen may have been from injuries inflicted with a spear or during a postmortem ritual

From soil samples, researchers found urine droplets and fecal material that belonged to Upper Paleolithic bears that used the Chiquihuite Cave as their shelter and toilet 16,000 years ago.

Using Only Trace Amounts of Poop in Soil Samples, Researchers Sequenced Entire Genomes of Two Ancient Bear Species

Genetic research involving prehistoric animals usually requires fossilized bone or tooth fragments

Bears with intensifying symptoms either die or are require euthanasia. Those that survive require lifetime treatments and can't return to the wild.

A Puzzling Brain Disease Is Killing Black Bears in the Western United States

Some animals showing signs of a neurological disorder had brain inflammation, but the cause is still unknown

A polar bear, dependent on sea ice for its hunting grounds, pauses near Churchill, Manitoba.

Polar Bears Live on the Edge of the Climate Change Crisis

On Hudson Bay's frigid shores, scientists track the animals to better understand how the environment is shaping their chances of survival

Pandamonium

Pandamonium

Revisit all of the baby panda cub's cutest moments and learn more about his species

A wolf-like robot dubbed "Monster Wolf" photographed in 2017. An updated model was recently installed in the town of Takikawa on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. The robot's motion sensor triggers flashing red LED eyes and a selection of 60 sounds aimed to frighten animals back into the wild.

Robotic 'Monster Wolf' Protects Japanese Town From Bears

No bear interactions have been recorded in the town since the robots' installation in September

BearID uses characteristics like the distance between a bear's eyes, nose and forehead to match a face to a name.

New Research

New A.I. Offers Facial Recognition for Grizzly Bears

The open-source software could help conservation scientists keep track of individual animals over years

May the heftiest chonk win!

A Jumbo Jet Among Bears, 747 Soars to Top Spot in Fat Bear Week

Bracket, bracket, on the 'net, which chubby cub is the most heavyset?

An aerial view of the northwestern corner of St. Matthew Island. The small grouping of uninhabited islands is over 300 kilometers across the Bering Sea from the mainland, making it the most remote location in Alaska.

The Alaskan Island That Humans Can’t Conquer

Faraway St. Matthew Island has had its share of visitors, but none can remain for long on its shores

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