Brown+bear


 * BEARS IN SLOVAKIA

The European Brown Bear is a subspecies of the Brown Bear (Ursus Arctos). The Brown Bear lives in the forests and mountains of Europe, northern North America, and Asia. It is the most widely distributed bear in the world. However in various places its population is decreasing drastically for a number of reasons, primarily suitable habitat destruction and culling due to conflict with humans. In mainland Europe the Brown Bear has a scattered and disconnected distribution. The major population of Europe is in the Carpathian Arc. Slovakia is situated at the westernmost point of the Arc. Here, the brown bear is concentrated in the forests and mountains of central and eastern Slovakia. Large territories and a secretive life style make it hard to determine their exact number. Most experts agree that at present there are 700-900 bears in Slovakia. ||
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 * There are bears in most mountains of central and north Slovakia, including - but not only - Vysoke, Zapadne, Belianske and Nizke Tatry, Velka and Mala Fatra, Slovenske Rudohorie, Polana, Strazovske vrchy and Vychodne Karpaty. ||
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 * The bear, although classified as a Carnivore, is not a good hunter. It has become an omnivore, getting 85-90% of its food from plants. In spring it eats grass and herbage as well as carcasses of winter-killed animals. Its diet includes bilberries, raspberries and other fruit, beech mast, acorns and ant and wasp larvae. Some individuals occasionally visit beehives, rubbish bins or kill livestock. ||
 * Sleeping during the winter saves energy when food is scarce. Most bears are inactive from December to February or March, depending on food availability, weather, locality and individual. They need places free of disturbance for denning. Brown bears dig dens for winter hibernation, often holing up on a suitable north-west facing hillside. ||
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 * Bears mate in May-July. Females den while pregnant and give birth during this winter rest, usually to a pair of cubs. Brown bear cubs nurse on their mother's milk until spring and generally stay with her for some two and a half year so females only reproduce once every three years. . At birth cubs weigh less than 0.5 kg. Young bears stay with their mother for up to 2.5 years, but some orphaned at less than 1 year old have survived in the wild. Adult females have 1-3 cubs (rarely 4-5).
 * Bears mate in May-July. Females den while pregnant and give birth during this winter rest, usually to a pair of cubs. Brown bear cubs nurse on their mother's milk until spring and generally stay with her for some two and a half year so females only reproduce once every three years. . At birth cubs weigh less than 0.5 kg. Young bears stay with their mother for up to 2.5 years, but some orphaned at less than 1 year old have survived in the wild. Adult females have 1-3 cubs (rarely 4-5).

Adult males weigh 140-350 kg, measure 170-220 cm from nose to tail and are 95-130 cm tall at the shoulder. Females are smaller, usually 80-200 kg, 160-200 cm and 90-110 cm respectively. ||


 * ** FAST FACTS: ** || ** BROWN BEAR ** ||
 * ** TYPE: ** || MAMMAL ||
 * ** DIET: ** || OMNIVORE- grasses, friut... ||
 * ** AVERAGE LIFESPAN: ** || 25 years ||
 * ** SIZE: ** || Up to 130 cm tall at the shoulder,

1,7-2,2 m from nose to tail ||
 * ** WEIGHT: ** || Average male 140-350 kg, female 80- 200 kg ||
 * ** SPEED: ** || Up to 48 km/h ||