Bears of the continents

1. Arbab Ihsan
BS. Zoology

2. Bears

3. Baluchistan Black Bear-Ursus thibetanus
gedrosianus
Also known as Mum
Status:
Critically endangered
Habitat:
Higher ranges of the province of Baluchistan in Southwest Pakistan and Southeast Iran. The major
stronghold in Pub Range (Khuzdar Hills) where it is mostly confined to arid sub-tropical thorn forest
Distribution:
It is abundantly present in Khazdar district of Baluchistan. Persisted in Suleiman range, Toba Kakar range
and Kalat.10 in number

5. Morphology
Baluchistan bears have a cream colored crescent patch on their chest.
Thinner head
 flanks branching from its head
Size:55 to 75 inches
Weigh between 200 and 400 pounds.

6. Diet
• Baluchistan bear eat green plants, fruits, berries, seeds, honey, and
insects.
• It also feeds on small vertebrates such as birds, rodents, and lizards.

7. Breeding Biology
 Females mature at between three and four years of age.
 Mating reportedly occurs in October.
 Gestation period : 7-8 months
 one to three cubs in February.
 The cubs are born blind and totally dependent on their mother. They are
weaned at about six months, but remain with their mother for two to three
years.
 natural life span is from 25 to 30 years.

8. Importance
 Balochistan black bear break up downed logs in their search for
grubs, helping the process of decay in the forest and the return of
nutrients to the soil
 gall bladders for medicines

9. Threats
 Deforesting and overhunting
 killing by herders
 Lack of awareness about Balochistan black bear
 Capturing/trapping bear cubs for baiting &dancing
 The species has been not yet explored & studied properly
 Poaching for pets
 Local and nomad herders let their cattle graze in the bear territory

10. Conservation
 BRC
 WSPA
 WWF-Pakistan
 Baluchistan Black Bear is protected by legislation in Baluchistan Province
 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES), banning all international trade of any products derived from the species.

11. Himalayan Black Bear -Ursus thibetanus laniger
Status:
•Vulnerable
Habitat:
Found in the forests of Azad Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
and Kohistan. nocturnal in order to avoid humans. They often
spend the day in caves or hollowed out trees
Distribution
•Mainly confined to Himalayan moist forests of Pakistan and
occur in Neelum valley of A&JK, Kagan valley in Hazara
District and in Chitral, Diamir, Kohistan

12. Morphology
 a black coat with a light brown muzzle and a pale yellow crescent on their
chest.
 On average, they measure from 56 to 65 inches nose to tail
 weigh from 200 to 265 pounds

13. Diet
 Their diet consists of acorns, nuts, fruit, honey, roots, and various
insects such as termites and beetle larvae.
 If food is scarce, they may turn to eating livestock such as sheep,
goats, and cattle.

14. Breeding Biology
 Sexual maturity is reached at approximately three years.
 Mating is believed to occur in October with usually two cubs born
in February while the mother is still hibernating
 The offspring usually stay with their mother into the second year

15. Importance
 The cub was being sold for Rs330,000 at a Dr Rana’s Pets Care Centre
stall at the National Science Fair
 Bear bile has been an important component of traditional medicine
 Reduce fever and inflammation, detoxifying the liver, arresting
convulsions, improving eyesight, and dissolving gall stones

16. Bear gall bladder as a medicinal value :
To stimulate sexual potency
Treatment of life eating cancer
Burns, pain , redness of eye, asthma
Treat liver ailments
Bears as skin products:
Fur coat, jackets, stoles, shawls, ear muffs, hand bags, head bands
purses, gloves, hats , blankets, carpet.
Bears Fat value:
Massage on bones, joints for relief of pain, sold to outside dealers

17. Threats
 Habitat Loss
 Competition with livestock
 Cub poaching
 Illegal hunting for body parts, specifically
the gall bladder, paws and skin
 Encroachment of human population
 forest fires and the timber industries

18. Conservation
BRC WS supported by WSPA
Bear WS in chakwal
WWF
Himalayan Jungle Project in 1994

19. Himalayan Brown Bear-Ursus aroctus
isalbellinus
Other names: red bear, snow bear
Status:
Critically endangered but Vulnerable globally
Habitat:
In the Himalaya, brown bears inhabit mainly subalpine and alpine areas between 2,600 and 5,000 m where
blue pine forests (spring and fall) and alpine meadows (summer) are their primary habitats.
Distribution:
•17 to 75
•persist in the Himalaya, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush ranges, kalam, Neelam valley
•in northern latitudes such as northern Chitral, Ghizer, Gilgit and Skardu. From 15 localities as: Deosai : 43,
Minimerg, Nanga Parbat, Central Karakoram National Park, Khunjrab National Park, Ghizer, Karanbar,
Tirch Mir, Kalam, Palas, Kaghan, Gumot, Shontar and Taobat,

21. Morphology
 Males range from 1.5m up to 2.2m (5 ft - 7 ft 3in) long
 females are 1.37m to 1.83m (4 ft 6 in - 6 ft) long.
 They are the largest animals in the Himalayas
 usually sandy or reddish-brown in color.
 with a big head, small eyes and stocky limb

22. Diet
 mostly vegetarian, feeding on herbs and grasses, rodents including
rats, squirrels, hedgehogs, marmots and fish.

23. Breeding Biology
 mate from May to July,
 a gestation of 180 to 266 days
 births occurring from January to March, usually while the female is
still in hibernation.
 She generally lays down two to three offspring, and breeds again 2
to 4 years later.
 brown bears can reach 20 to 30 years of age

24. Importance
Power medicinal value
Used in research Studies
Bears as food source:
Hunted for their meat and paws are eaten as a delicacy.
As food : not directly eat but by feeding the fat of the bears to birds,
particularly roosters, then eating those birds
Bears as pest:
Regarded as a pest and persecuted in some areas as they can destroy crops

25. Threats
 Growing human population
 Expanding infrastructure, increasing number of livestock
 increasing dependency on natural resources particularly alpine pastures
 Poaching for its commercial parts and for cubs
 growing unmanaged tourism
 bear baiting events
 habitat loss and fragmentation

26. Conservation
BRC support by WSPA
WWF
Himalayan Wildlife Project later renamed Himalayan Wildlife Foundation (HWF)
management of natural resources
Seven national parks and many wildlife sanctuaries and game reserves,
which provide legal protection to bears
Environmental education need immediate attention.
Bear baiting is illegal under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1890