Grizzly Brown Bears

Last Sunday, the cover story of Mag, was about Sri Lanka Premier League T20 Cricket Tournament. Have you noticed that all the teams have names of animals -- Ruhunu Rhinos, Kandurata Kites, Uthura Oryxes, Uva Unicorns, Wayamba Wolves, Neganahira Nagas and Basnahira Bears. Interestingly, except for the wolves and the bears, the others have been been featured in Zoolander. This week Zoolander writes on the Bear the mascot and symbol of the Basbnahira Bears.
Brown bears of the Dehiwala Zoo are rather interesting animals to watch. Being large and furry, they should surely have a problem these days with the prevailing heat and the hot and humid weather pattern. Luckily for them there is a small water moat at the zoo, where they can take a dip and cool down. Usually after splashing in water they would lie lazing on the cement floor. But that is not for long; after a few minutes, they would be back to their restless routine moving from corner to corner within the den.
A pair of brown bears brought down as a part of an animal exchange program was earlier kept in a den near the auditorium of the zoological gardens, but of late, they have been moved to a new den. On your next visit to the Dehiwala zoo, you can meet brown bears near the ‘walking-aviary’. Many major zoos like to have at least one brown bear among their resident animals, as they are interesting animals to observe. They are rather big and look majestic but fierce. The sense of fear that is felt on encountering a brown bear heightens the thrill of the experience for many.
In the wild, bears are found in forests and mountains of North America, and in Europe, and Asia. There are many members in the bear family spread across different parts of the world and the brown bear is said to be the most widely distributed bear in the world. There are several recognized sub-species within the brown bear species. In North America, two types are generally recognized, the coastal brown bear and the inland grizzly bears. But there are other sub-species too and generally a well grown bear can weigh between 300 and 680 kilograms. The Grizzlies are notorious, as they have been responsible for human attacks. With their sheer power and strength, the brown bear is the top predator in these jungles.
Adult brown bears are indeed powerful, top-of-the-food chain predators, but they are lazy hunters and much of their diet consists of nuts, berries, fruits, leaves and roots. Bears also eat other animals, from rodents to moose, but the brown bear like other members of its family is categorized as an ‘omnivorous’ animal.

Feast of Salmon  
Brown bears, often called ‘Grizzlies’,  are also famous due to an annual spectacle, in Alaska. TV documentaries such as those featured on the Discovery channel feature these dramatic  gatherings at prime Alaskan fishing spots, when the salmon swim upstream for summer spawning. The Salmons make this upstream journey to breed and the brown bears gather around these rivers waiting for an easy meal. Sometimes the jumping salmon dives straight into the gaping mouth of brown bears waiting in strategic locations.
Bears use different fishing techniques, as observed by zoologists who say there are three steps. They first get familiar with the place and movement of the fish and then approach; the skilful capturing comes next, either by picking direct with the mouth or by using the paws. Sometimes dozens of brown bears line-up in a stretch of river. This spectacle has been described among the 10 most spectacular wildlife experiences in the world by LonelyPlanet - the travel magazine.
This feast of fish is also very important for the survival of brown bears during winter. The salmon they feed on, stores as fat and converts to energy that will sustain them through the long winter. It is said that during a season, a brown bear may eat as much as 40 kilograms of food each day, and will weigh twice as much, before hibernation, as it will in spring.

Hibernation
The regions where brown bears are found usually record very harsh winters and  these animals have to resort to different mechanisms to face the freezing cold, and the brown bears choose to hibernate. During hibernation, the breathing and heart rates slow and they allow their body temperatures to drop, in some cases even below freezing. They stop eating and in many cases stop excreting too. All of these things happen, so the animals can use less energy – and bears in these regions often employ hibernation as the main strategy to face harsh winters.
Researchers have found that the brown bears use particularly dig dens for winter hibernation, often holing up in a suitable hillside. Brown bears have a large hump of muscle on top of their shoulders and long front claws which makes them powerful diggers.
A pregnant female bear or a sow, gives birth during the winter rest and usually delivers a pair of cubs and the cubs nurse on their mothers’ milk until spring – and stay with her for some two and a half years. Because of this protective nurturing, the females only reproduce once every three years, recording a slow breeding rate for brown bears. The bears spend four to six months a year curled deep in sleep in a den. That’s one-third to one-half of their lifetime.
In the wild, brown bears live alone as solitary animals. But the females, like all good mothers, stay with their cubs protecting them from danger. Despite their enormous size, brown bears are fast runners, and have even clocked  speeds of 30 miles per hour (48 kilometers per hour). They can be dangerous to humans, particularly if taken by surprise or if a person gets between a mother bear and her cubs.

Brown Bear Facts

l The tips of the hair on a brown bear look grayish or grizzly.
l Brown bears prefer forested mountains, meadows, or river valleys.
l Brown bears are around seven feet tall.
l Male bears may weigh up to 700 pounds.
l Female bears may weigh up to 350 pounds.
l Brown bears eat mostly grass, roots, and berries. They also eat fish, insects, and ground
squirrels, or larger mammals if they can catch them.
l Bears are commonly silent, but can communicate with grunts, roars, or squeals.
l Hibernation is a way of adapting to short food supplies in winter.
l During the fall, brown bears eat practically around the clock, stocking up for the
next four to seven months. They can eat around 90 pounds of food per day.
l Bears dig their own den or sometimes hibernate in natural caves.
l One to five cubs are born during hibernation. The mother bears nurse the cubs
during winter. The cubs live off the mother’s milk for the first year of life.
l Nearly 50 percent of all brown bear cubs die before they are one year old.

Source: http://www.kodiak.org/hibernation.html / http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/


Published on LakbimaNews 27.05.2012