#bear lovers

Bears use around 11 different sounds to communicate, including growling, grunting, clacking, huffing, barking and moaning. There is much research trying to determine what they mean - researchers have found that moaning can mean both contentment or distress! 

Body language is important too. Workers at the Romanian and Pakistan bear sanctuaries report the rescued bears jumping up and down with happiness when they smell their favourite foods or see their favourite people. And scientists have noted brown bears using a ‘play-face’ – an open-mouth that tells others they are ready to play!!!

Mothers and cubs are extremely close; mothers will fight to the death to protect their young from predators! 

Mothers teach cubs how to forage for food and protect themselves by climbing trees. The cubs also have great fun playing with their mother and siblings. Researchers have found that the more brown bear cubs play, the more likely they are to survive into adulthoo!!

🐻As the global climate shifts, brown bears and polar bears are wandering into each others' territory more often. The result is an increased occurrence of hybrid bears that are commonly called "grolar" or "pizzly" bears!!!🐻

🐻  Interestingly, these bears are fertile, meaning that polar bears and grizzly bears can affect the other species' gene pools. 🐻

🐻The bears in this photo are all black bears but as you can see their fur has tons of different shades like this tiny white cub who is also a black bear!!🐻

🐾Though the species is called black bear, the animals within it come in a range of colors: black, brown, cinnamon, blond, blue-gray, or even white.🐾

🍂The variation in color has to do with the bears' environment. A lighter color is more common in black bears in the west of the United States, as the lighter shades help them blend in while in open meadows as well as reduce heat stress. Around half of the black bears there are shades of brown. Meanwhile, in the northeast, around 97 percent of black bears are black in color.🍂

FUN FACT: The white black bears are also nicknamed "spirit bears"!!!