Brown Bear
Ursus arctos
🐻
Chordata
Mammalia
Carnivora
Caniformia
Ursidae
Ursus
Ursus arctos
The Continental Titan — Ursus arctos, the brown bear, is one of Earth’s widest-ranging mammalian carnivores, a species whose size, adaptability, and mythic presence have shaped human culture across continents for millennia.
Description
Ursus arctos evolved roughly 1.2 million years ago in Eurasia and radiated into North America during the Middle Pleistocene. Its broad ecological tolerance allowed it to occupy tundra, forest, steppe, and coastal zones. Morphologically, it varies immensely—mountain bears of Europe rarely exceed 300 kg, while coastal Alaskan and Kamchatkan bears can weigh over three times as much.
Dietarily omnivorous, it feeds on everything from berries and roots to salmon, carrion, and ungulates. The brown bear’s combination of strength, intelligence, and opportunism has made it a dominant terrestrial predator across the Holarctic realm.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
1000
1.3
2.4
2.2
kg
m
m
m
Omnivore
Facultative Lipivore
Hunt History
Human interactions with Ursus arctos stretch deep into the Paleolithic. Bears appear in cave art, bone assemblages, and mythic symbolism from Ice Age Europe to Siberia. Though revered, they were also formidable quarry. Early humans and Neanderthals likely competed with bears for caves and resources.
Archaeological contexts:
Drachenloch Cave, Switzerland — Bear skulls deliberately arranged by Neanderthals, interpreted as ritual deposition (~70,000 years BP).
Chauvet Cave, France — Brown bear remains and cave art indicating coexistence and spiritual significance (~32,000 years BP).
Clovis sites, North America — Cut-marked bear bones suggesting hunting or scavenging (~12,000 years BP).
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Extant
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
0
BP
Late Pleistocene
Europe
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
High
Fat %
10
Est. Renderable Fat
18
kg
Targeted Organs
Subcutaneous & visceral (pre-denning)
Adipose Depots
Subcutaneous (pre-denning), visceral; marrow
Preferred Cuts
Subcutaneous fat layer
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
5