Brown Bear

The brown bear has several unusual habits that are rarely noticed in the literature. The character of the bear is often overlooked, despite the popularity of this game among hunters. First of all, it is an unusual persistence with which the bear achieves not only food, but even a small amount of food or treats. Successful body structure, strength, help the bear in the implementation of his plans. In an area where apples and fruits grow, the animal has the opportunity not only to pick up fallen ones from the ground, but also to climb branches for food. Also, bears are smart animals. When he notices that it is not convenient to pluck fruits from flexible branches, he begins to shake the tree at the base and calmly collects the fallen fruits. Hunters who have been watching the bear at the fruit–bearing trees know the characteristic noise made by the branches - like a gust of wind. The persistence of the bear generates the irascibility of this animal, if he does not achieve what he wants. Because of these character traits, people in many ways exaggerate the danger of meeting a bear. There have been many cases when a bear, meeting people in the forest in the summer, especially women, was annoyed when shouting, but was afraid to approach an unfamiliar object. He snorts threateningly, but after a short time he cautiously departs. Abrupt transitions from a calm state to anger are observed in the animal and when communicating with each other. Another equally important feature of the bear is its responsiveness. She often saves a person from a threat when they meet. The fright directly depends on whether the animal saw the hunter first from afar or near. An ambushed bear is often frightened, especially if a shot was fired (even harmless). It is unusual that such a large animal is capable of small and flexible movements. Bears often dig out insect nests with the claws of one paw. There is an opinion in folklore that bears "suck their paws" during hibernation, but this is not true, at least there is no evidence of this (except for cubs). The bear has the property of salivating profusely. This happens during a meal, at the sight of a treat or while resting (the cubs purr when sucking their paws, which indicates a good sleep). Saliva production increases with aggression and self-defense. In the period of outbursts of rage, saliva has the appearance of a thin spider web or wire that sways from the mouth in the wind. A similar discharge occurs in cows, and especially in bulls. The bear's food consists of a variety of fruits, berries, and any foot food in the forest. However, lying dormant in a den, a bear can stay in it without any food for five months, from November to April. Bears are looking for food in different ways. It is believed that their eyesight is weak, it is compensated by a good sense of smell and hearing. It's easy to notice the bear's feeding place. Passing by, they cause great harm to the shrub. Berries are plucked from low plants, often trampling entire glades. Taller shrubs – mountain ash, bird cherry bears pull up, and if they fail, they just break the trunk. Ripening grains can become a treat for an animal. If the bear is not stimulated by hunger, he finds protected approaches to the fields – in bushes, trees. Initially, he spends a short time on the field, looks around, assesses the danger. Over time, the duration of feeding increases, bears sitting or standing, and some even lying down, eat grains for hours. It is very simple to distinguish the oats eaten by a bear from ungulates – they do not eat the whole panicle, but "drag" between their teeth, eating only seeds. In the forest, bears especially hunt for cedar cones. This is a favorite delicacy from the foot food. Young animals are able to climb a tree and break off branches with fruits. At the foot of the tree, the bear collects the cones in one pile and breaks it, and then selects the seeds with his tongue. Bears eat vegetarian food for most of their lives. Only in case of an unfavorable region or crop failure, he can switch to meat. The subject of hunting bears can be ungulates: moose, tours, wild boars. In the spring, after a long hibernation, the bear can chase its prey for a long time. It is during this period that animals are extremely dangerous to humans. Old animals go to tricks: they drive the victim onto the ice, into windbreaks, attack herbivores in the water. If wild animals are able to fight for their lives, then livestock is practically defenseless before a predator attack. Almost every attack brings loot. The carcasses of the killed prey are dragged by the bear to a quiet place, cases are described when an adult bear carried the carcass to a distance of up to 400 meters. One carcass of an elk, for example, a bear can eat for several weeks. The remains of meat are covered with earth, stones or branches. Bears tend to guard their prey. Having had enough, the bear lies either next to or directly on the prey. If a person passes by at this moment, the animal will try to scare him away, but sometimes such meetings end in an attack.