BEARS: The 8 Wonders Of The World
There are 8 species of bear world-wide. All are endangered to some degree. Here you'll get facts, photos, videos, and informational links to organizations that are trying to save them.
The 8 bear species are: American Black Bear, Asiatic Black Bear, Brown Bear, Giant Panda, Polar Bear, Spectacled Bear, Sloth Bear and Sun Bear.
I'm known as the Bearmeister because I love bears and an an online ambassador for them. Read on and I think you'll see why I love bears so much.
Contents at a Glance
A Stapshot Of The 8 Bear Species
These are snapshots of the 8 bear species of the world.
To do each species justice, I've created a lens for each with many more facts, photos, videos, resource links, books, and places to get even more information.
I hope this information is enough to whet your appetite and send you to the individual bear lenses. Enjoy!
American Black Bear
American Black Bears are the most common bears in North America. They live in 41 of the U.S. States, throughout Canada (except Prince Edward Island) and Mexico.IUCN lists them as
Least Concern
However, according to Defenders of Wildlife, "they are listed as a threatened subspecies in Louisiana, eastern Texas and southern Mississippi under the federal *Endangered Species Act. In 4 additional states black bears are state-listed as rare, threatened or endangered (Lousiana, Florida and within the historic range of black bears in southern Mississippi and eastern Texas). The Florida black bear subspecies is listed as threatened by the state of Florida."
For a complete compilation of facts, photos, books, videos and links to organizations helping these bears, click American Black Bear
Asiatic Black Bear
The Asiatic Black Bear is also known as the Tibetan black bear, the Himalayan black bear, or the moon bear.The Asiatic Black Bear is distributed all the way from the east to west of the Asian continent. They are found in high elevations as well as in lower lands. Areas with forests of hilly and mountainous areas in: East Asia and South Asia, including South Korea, North Korea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh northern India, Nepal, Sikkim (Indian state), Bhutan, Burma, southern Siberia in Russia, northeastern China, Taiwan and Japan
They are listed as
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
These bears are imprisoned by the Chinese and Koreans on bear farms and used to harvest bile. The bears are caged in tiny cages in a prone position as cubs for life with catheters inserted into them. The bile is then removed 2 times a day. When they are old (sometimes being in these cages for 20+ years) they are killed and their gall bladder and paws are removed. Bear farms are a barbaric and a horrible stain on mankind.
There are synthetic sources for bile which should stop this cruel treatment of these bears, however, the farms are still there. For more information on how you can help stop this cruel and inhumane practice, click Animals Asia.
For a complete compilation of facts, photos, books, videos and links to organizations helping these bears, click Asiatic Black Bear
Brown Bear
The Brown Bear has subspecies called the Eurasian Brown Bear, Grizzly Bears, the Syrian Brown Bear, Kodiak bear, and Siberian Brown Bear.Brown bears are distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. Mostly Russia, the United States, and Canada.
They have a total population of approximately 200,000.
Brown Bears are listed as Least Concern
speciesFor a complete compilation of facts, photos, books, videos and links to organizations helping these bears, click Brown Bears
Giant Panda
Giant Pandas
are found in several mountain ranges in China. Specifically, in the Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces.
They used to be found in the lowlands, however due to habitat destruction from farming and the clearing of forest of bamboo (their main source of food), they are now found only higher up.
They are listed by the IUCN as
Endangered
For a complete compilation of facts, photos, books, videos and links to organizations helping these bears, click Giant Pandas
Polar Bear
Polar bears live only in the Northern Hemisphere. They inhabit the Arctic ice cap, islands, sea ice, and water and continental coastlines. Polar bears prefer the sea ice habitat. They like to be near the continental coastlines or islands.Although Polar Bears are listed by the IUCN as
Vulnerable
For a complete compilation of facts, photos, books, videos and links to organizations helping these bears, click Polar Bears
Sloth Bear
Sloth Bears are found the lowland forests of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Poaching and loss of habitat are the primary threats to the survival of the Sloth Bear on the Indian subcontinent. They are yet another bear that are hunted by humans for their gall bladder for eastern medicine.Sloth bears are listed by the IUCN as
Vulnerable
Dancing Bears of India
In India many Sloth bears are taken from their mothers when they are just weeks old and have to witness their mothers brutally killed while trying to save their cubs.
These cubs are then sold on the black market where the buyers turn them into 'Dancing Bears'. To do that, their muzzles are pierced and threaded with a coarse rope. The bear lives out it's life at the end of the rope. It dances for tourists and is dragged from village to village. (If you didn't shudder or cringe at this, you have no heart.)
To save these bears from a lifetime of misery, Wildlife S.O.S. has a India Bear Rescue Project where they save these bears.
For much more information and photos about how this practice of Dancing Bears got started and what is being done to stop it, click Dancing Bears
For more facts, photos, books, videos and links to organizations helping these bears, click Sloth Bear
Meet Kartick Satyanarayan aka BEAR MAN
The story behind the Dancing Bear Rescue
For the inspiring true story of the Dancing Bear Rescue (told with photos and videos) and meet the Co-founder and Director aka BEAR MAN, click HERE.
Spectacled Bear
Spectacled bears, also known as Andean Bears are the only bears found in South America.They are found in forested mountains from Venezuela and Colombia south through Ecuador, Peru, and into Bolivia.
They are listed by the IUCN as Vulnerable
For more facts, photos, books, videos and links to organizations helping these bears, click Spectacled Bear
Sun Bear
Sun Bears, also known as Malayan Sun Bears or Honey Bears are the smallest bears in the world and are found primarily in the tropical rain forests of Southeast Asia.Sun Bears are listed by the IUCN as
Vulnerable
These bears are also hunted for their fur and bile for Eastern medicine. For more information on how you can help stop the cruel and inhumane practice of bear bile farming, click Animals Asia.
For a complete compilation of facts, photos, books, videos and links to organizations helping these bears, click Sun Bears
Photo Gallery Of The 8 Wonders Of The World
My favorite bear photos are by ucumari on Flickr. These are just a few. ucumari to see her complete bear set.
This Lens Support Wildlife S.O.S.
Founders And Operators of The Only Dancing Bears Sanctuaries In India
This little guy has since been RESCUED!
All royalties raised on this lens are donated to Wildlife S.O.S. for their "India Bear Rescue" Project to rescue Dancing Bears in India.
To learn about little cubs like this one and other Dancing Bears, click Saving The Dancing Bears Of India
Show your support of Wildlife S.O.S. and the Dancing Bears of India
Get this adorable image of a Sloth Bear on t-shirts, hats and other apparel. To see all products with this design, click More Products
Golf Shirt
Price: 21.99
Organic Cotton Tee
Price: 19.99
Women's Tank Top
Price: 20.99
Cap
Price: 18.99
Wonderful BEAR Books
#1
Rescuing the Spectacled Bear by Stephen Fry
Both wildly funny and moving -- a journal of Steph more...1 point
#2
Polar Bears and the Arctic (Magic Tree House Rsrch Gdes(R)) by Mary Pope Osborne, Natalie Pope Boyce
WHY IS THE arctic so cold? How do polar bears cros more...1 point
#3
How One Little Polar Bear Captivated The World (Knut) by Craig Hatkoff, Juliana Hatkoff, Isabella Hatkoff, Dr. Gerald R. Uhlich
When Knut was born, the first polar bear cub at th more...1 point
#5
Smithsonian Book of Giant Pandas by Susan Lumpkin, John Seidensticker
The recent arrival of the two giant pandas Tian Ti more...1 point
#6
The Bears of Katmai: Alaska's Famous Brown Bears by Matthias Breiter
For more than five years, photographer, author, an more...0 points
BEAR DVDs From Amazon
#1
![Alaska: Spirit of the Wild (IMAX) [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51lGksCBHkL._SL75_.jpg)
Alaska: Spirit of the Wild (IMAX) [Blu-ray]
Go far beyond even the highest definition with thi more...1 point
#2
Little Bear - Feel Better Little Bear
Little Bear and friends get ill and get better.
Gen more...1 point
#3
The Jungle Book (40th Anniversary Platinum Edition)
The lush and lively jungle comes alive in this exc more...1 point
#5
Brother Bear (2-Disc Special Edition)
Disney proudly presents BROTHER BEAR, an epic anim more...0 points
Featured Bear-Related Lenses
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Bear Art: Beauty And The Beast
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Here you'll find Bear Art -- sculptures, photography, paintings, drawings, carvings -- all of Bears in all their glory. Also tips on naming sculptures, using photos as inspirations, and much more. I love bears. I devote so much time and energy into...
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All Polar Bear Ware, All The Time
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Jewelry, bear fetishes, t-shirts, clothing, housewares, bags & totes, paper weights, gift items, and much more -- everything for the polar bear lover. I've handpicked them all for quality, uniqueness and price. You'll find that perfect gift for yours...
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Bear Fetishes - Carvings And Jewelery
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I love bears and bear fetishes. As a sculptor and sometime carver, I've particularly drawn to fetishes. Especially bears. Here I'll share my continued research on bear fetishes. I'll introduce you to Zuni and Inuit carvers; the history of fetishes; a...
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Lions, Fu Dogs and Bears (OH MY!)
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Animals make fastinating subjects for artists. Here you'll find unique sculptures of lions, fu dogs, bears, cats, wolves and other animals. I'll showcase my sculptures plus other artist's creations. I'll also include interesting facts about the ani...
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Polar Bear Videos -- Polar Bears, Here, There, Everywhere
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Get your polar bear fix here with live, cartoon and animated videos showcasing polar bears in all their glory. You'll find funny, serious and educational videos as well. Watch and learn about these magnificent creatures and find out where you can lea...
Save Our Bears (SOB) Group
Member of Save Our Bears Group -- a group of lenses devoted to help change the plight all of the 8 bear species through awareness and fund raising.The lenses show the wonderful nature of bears and many will, at the same time, shine a spotlight on the dangers bears face including: trophy hunters, gall bladder and bile farming, pollution, bear baiting, global warming, and habitat destruction.
You'll also find fun lenses on great polar bear movies, books, teddy bears, even cartoon and toy bears.
Click Save Our Bears (SOB) to go to the group page.
News on bears and other endangered species
- Wildlife Extinction Rates ‘Seriously Underestimated’ - CommonDreams.org
- Endangered species may become extinct 100 times faster than previously thought, scientists warned today, in a bleak re-assessment of the threat to global biodiversity....
- Scientists Study Polar Bear Hearing as Arctic Acoustic Environment Faces Change
- As global warming melts Arctic ice and pressure mounts for oil exploration, scientists worry that increasing noise might interfere with polar bear reproduction...
- Alaska Officials Turn on Polar Bears (Reporting by Roddy Scheer)
- The State of Alaska filed suit in federal court last week seeking to overturn the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services decision to list the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act...
- Polar bear euthanized
- Polar bear euthanizedYugyan, a 22-year-old female polar bear at the Oregon Zoo, was euthanized Tuesday. Yugyan was diagnosed with kidney failure a year ago and the zoo staff had tried to manage the bear's pain...
RSS From Polar Bear News - Includes All Bear Species
This is the feed from my Polar Bear News blog. To see the whole blog click PolarBearNews.com . You can get my blog via email or RSS feed by going to the blog itself. To see a particular article, press on the headline below. I cover news related to Polar Bears and special reports on all 8 bear species. The pictures and other graphics don't show up here so visit the site to see them.
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ArtByLinda
I really learned alot about the bears here, thanks for sharing! Great job! 5* Posted August 19, 2008 |
This is a great page. I also love bears. Thanks you for putting it together and sharing our passion.
Posted August 11, 2008
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CherylStoney
I didn't even know there were that many species. You continue to educate! 5 stars! Posted July 24, 2008 |
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chefkeem
Super job, Frankie! 5*s Posted July 20, 2008 |
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kiwisoutback
Excellent lens! Great info, I liked reading this one. Lensrolled it onto our endangered species lens, too. Posted July 07, 2008 |
What else is Frankster up to?
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Cat Woman aka Frankster
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I'm known as Cat Woman off-line because I share my home with a bunch of cats; I rescue and foster cats; I work with a local animal non-profit; and I sculpt big cats, mostly Lions. Online, I'm known as Cat Woman because of my blog, websites and Squido...
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Bearmeister aka Frankster
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A woman has to know her limitations. Ha. Wouldn't that be nice? This lens is my attempt at explaining just who I am and what I'm up to and maybe justify to myself why I'm so darn busy - LOL. It's a Lensography of my Squidoo BEAR lenses and will incl...
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