Types Of Bears – Pictures & Facts On All Eight Bear Species
There are eight types of bears: the polar bear, brown bear, American black bear, spectacled bear, Asian black bear, sloth bear, sun bear, and giant panda.
Together, the eight bear species make up the living members of the bear family Ursidae.
Bears are known for their omnivorous diet, although some types of bear (e.g. the polar bear) are highly carnivorous, while others (e.g. the giant panda) are almost entirely herbivorous.
Other characteristics shared by all types of bears include: an excellent sense of smell; five strong, nonretractable claws on each paw (unlike a cat, a bear can’t retract its claws back into the paw for protection); powerful bodies, and plantigrade locomotion (i.e. a bear walks on the soles of its feet, unlike animals such as cats and dogs, which walk on their toes). Most bears hibernate…