Bear Necessities Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sun bear (Helarctos malayanus)

Sun bears are the smallest of the different bear species, standing only 70 cm (28 in) at the shoulder, on average. They are also the species that spends the most time in amongst the trees (arboreal), enjoying climbing and sleeping above the ground.

Helarctos malayanus is found in South Asia, ranging as far north as northeastern India, and all the way south and southeast to the islands of Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia. The 'sun bear' name comes from a patch of fur on the chest that is orange, yellow or cream in colour, contrasting with the typically dark black fur of the rest of the body. And that fur is also the shortest of the different bears, owing to the very warm climate in which sun bears live.

Answer: Brown bear (Ursus arctos)

Brown bears are found in North America and across Europe and Asia, mostly in northern climes, although some subspecies range further south in higher elevation regions. In North America, the brown bear is known as the grizzly bear, with the exception of the population living on Alaska's Kodiak Islands, where it is named, appropriately, the Kodiak bear.

Brown bears are largely nocturnal, although this is not a hard-and-fast rule, and is more likely when near human populations as an avoidance tactic. They are more accurately considered crepuscular, preferring the twilight hours for activity. They are also known to hibernate, although again, only to a point. Brown bears can and will wake during their hibernation, if disturbed.

And while Kodiak bears as a subspecies are a rival for the status of largest bears in the world, on average the brown bear population is slightly smaller than polar bears.

Oh, and 'bruin' is simply means 'brown,' in Middle English and has its origin as a name for the brown bear from the fable "History of Reynard the Fox."

Answer: Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus)

In addition to 'Asiatic black bear' and 'moon bear,' Ursus thibetanus is also called 'Asian black bear' and 'white-chested bear.' As you may have guessed, these bears have a white patch on their chests that are somewhat crescent-shaped.

Asiatic black bears range throughout eastern Asia and the Indian subcontinent, but have become endangered, considered vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and registered as a protected species in multiple countries.

Moon bears are largely diurnal, but near large populations tend to become nocturnal to avoid people. They also like climbing, and are considered an arboreal species, spending more than 50% of their lives in trees. Considering their size (full-grown adults are around 300 lbs / 136 kg), this makes them one of the largest arboreal animals on the planet.

Answer: Panda bear (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

The panda bear, or giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is the iconic black and white bear that is also the symbol of the World Wildlife Federation (since its foundation in 1961).

Endemic to China, the giant panda has been at low population levels for decades, with the total population dropping below 1,000 in the 1980s. In 2021, it was announced that the population in the wild was no longer considered endangered, with over 1,800 (plus over 500 in captivity), albeit still vulnerable.

Pandas are actually classified as carnivorous, with body systems to match, but in reality are mostly herbivorous, almost exclusively choosing bamboo for its diet. Adults can grow up to 1.9 m (6 feet 3 inches) and 160 kg (350 lbs), although the average is closer to 115 kg (254 lbs).

Answer: Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus)

The Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) is, as you might have surmised, found in the Andean mountains region of South America, and they are the only bear species native to South America.

Also called 'spectacled' bears, due to their facial markings, Andean bears are unique amongst their ursine brothers and sisters in that they are the last remaining species of 'short-faced' bear, having a proportionally shorter snout than the other bear species in the world.

Middling in size compared to the other bears of the world, Andean bears are typically black to dark brown in colouring, with beige markings on the face and upper chest, giving the 'spectacled' look.

Answer: Bearcat (Arctictis binturong)

Also commonly called a binturong, the bearcat is a viverrid, which falls within the many feliform Carnivora species, which means it is catlike in its features, although viverrids also resemble weasels. They are short and heavy with thick fur and a bushy, prehensile tail. They grow to be about 3/4 of a meter long (30 in) in head and body, with their tail nearly as long, almost doubling their length. Bearcats like to climb and sleep in trees, and they are omnivorous in their diet, enjoying fruit in addition to insects and small animals.

Bearcats are native to South and Southeast Asia, and are a protected species in many of the countries in the region. In China, they are considered critically endangered.

Answer: North American black bear (Ursus americanus)

The North American black bear is the most numerous bear species on the planet, despite being found only in North America. Its population is of least concern, with more than twice the total number of all other bear species combined - more than 900,000.

Ursus americanus is the smallest bear species on the continent, being a medium-sized bear that, despite the name, ranges from black to brown to blonde in colouring. There are sixteen traditionally recognized subspecies of Ursus americanus, ranging across the continent.

Answer: Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)

Sloth bears are myrmecophagous, meaning that they only eat fruit, ants and termites in their diet. They have long lower lips and palates that are used for sucking up insects, and thus are also known as 'labiated' bears. In their search for ants and termites, their exceptionally long claws are well-suited for digging into the ground (or mound).

While many bear species are active at night, sloth bears are primarily nocturnal, especially when living near people. And being native to the Indian subcontinent, there are lots of people around.

Answer: Koala bear (Phascolarctos cinereus)

Although often called a koala bear, it is definitely an inaccurate name, and is actually just a koala. It is a herbivorous marsupial (koalas really like eucalyptus leaves) found in the eastern and southern coastal regions of Australia.

Interestingly, the first published image of a koala (from 1810) also named it 'New Holland Sloth' for its similarities to the sloths of South America.

Answer: Polar bear (Ursus maritimus)

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are the largest bear species on the planet, with males reaching up to 700 kg (1,560 lbs) in weight. They are also hypercarnivores, meaning that more than 70% of their diet is meat (in this case, largely seals).

With their habitat in the Arctic regions of the globe, polar bears have many adaptations to live in their climate. In addition to two layers of fur, they have a very thick layer of adipose tissue (fat) to insulate them from the cold. Their paws are so large that they help to distribute the animals' weight so they can walk on thin ice and have long claws to snag their prey from the water. And their sense of smell is acute enough to detect prey from over a kilometer (0.6 mi) away. Just to mention a few of the adaptations.