Ursus Arctos Arctos

Location: +45° 34' 50.8" +24° 53' 33.5"

Brown Bears are Europe’s largest predators, weighing up to 650 kg and measuring 2.5 meters long. Despite their size, they can run at speeds of 50 km/h. Mostly solitary, they only seek mates during breeding season. In the wild, they live 20–30 years, though captivity can extend their lifespan. Their diet is 80% plants, with the rest being fish and meat. They’re also strong swimmers.

In winter (October–December), they enter a resting phase, retreating to dens they often reuse. Unlike true hibernators, they remain semi-conscious, slowing their breathing and heartbeat while relying on fat reserves built from autumn feasting.

Mating occurs in May–June, with males courting females carefully. Fertilised eggs delay development until autumn, ensuring cubs are born in February, when conditions are more favourable.

Born blind, toothless, and weighing just 300–400 grams, cubs grow quickly on their mother’s milk. They stay with her for three years, learning survival skills, though only about half survive this period.

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) once roamed widely across Eurasia and North America, but many populations have declined. The largest group remains in Siberia, with smaller numbers in Central Asia.