Bears are one of the most widespread mammals in the world, and there are different types of bears to meet all your needs.
These different types of bears in the world, some of which you might not even realize, were considered bears in the first place!
We collected 15 types of bears from across the globe to show you which ones are your favorites and how each differs from the rest.
Check them out below to see if you can guess the types of bears that we’re talking about!
1. Polar Bear
The polar bear is a large white bear that lives in the Arctic. These different types of bears are the largest land carnivores and can weigh up to 1,500 pounds.
They are excellent swimmers and have been known to swim for miles.
Polar bears are also excellent hunters known to take down walruses and seals.
These bears are primarily solitary animals but may be seen hunting together during hunting season.
One can tell how hungry a polar bear is by looking at its skin because it will be thin if they haven’t eaten much or fat if they’ve had a successful hunt.
If humans threaten, these bears will stand on their hind legs and appear even more significant than they are. One should not approach them under any circumstances!
2. Giant Panda
The giant panda is a bear native to China and its surrounding areas.
These massive animals are currently endangered and easily recognizable with their black and white fur.
Although they are often considered lazy creatures, pandas are active and spend most of their time eating bamboo. They are also excellent swimmers and climbers.
Some fun facts about pandas include that they have six toes on each foot and can eat up to 40 pounds of bamboo daily!
In addition, the giant panda has powerful jaws and long canine teeth that are used for crushing tough bamboo stalks.
With such sharp teeth, it’s no wonder these creatures have a bite force of 1,200 psi!
3. Asiatic Black Bear
The Asiatic black bear is found in the mountains of Asia, including parts of China, Korea, Japan, India, and Pakistan.
They are excellent tree climbers known to climb as high as 18,000 feet! These bears typically weigh between 250 and 550 pounds.
These different types of bears are the smallest species found in Asia.
They tend to be light-colored or dark brown with long hair, and their short fur is very dense, giving them a fuzzy appearance.
These creatures also have a prominent hump on their back that makes them look larger than they are.
The Asiatic black bear eats honeybees, termites, ants, wild berries, and plants such as bamboo shoots.
They will also consume fish if they can catch them by wading into rivers and streams or diving into ponds.
Unlike other bears who hibernate during winter, these animals stay active year round except for females who den up while raising their cubs in early springtime until late summer when their offspring venture out independently.
4. Sun Bear
The sun bear is the smallest species of bear. They are found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia and prefer to live in trees rather than on the ground.
Sun bears are excellent climbers and often build nests high up in the branches.
Their diet consists mainly of fruits, honey, and insects. However, they will also eat birds, other small animals, and eggs.
The gestation period is six months long, and cubs remain with their mother for at least two years before becoming independent.
They typically grow to be around 100 pounds but can grow as large as 300 pounds when living in an area where food is plentiful.
Between 25,000-50,000 of these bears are believed to be left in the world.
5. Brown Bear
The brown bear is the most common type of bear, and they are found in North America, Europe, and Asia. Brown bears are large animals with short fur.
They can be dangerous to humans, but they are also knowledgeable. These different types of bears were some of the first animals to use tools.
They live alone for long periods and may not interact with other bears for years.
6. Black Bear
The black bear has dark black or blue-black fur on its back and white or cream-colored hair on its stomach.
These different types of bears are good climbers and fast runners; they are good at hunting prey like fish, squirrels, frogs, or rabbits from trees.
7. Short-Faced Bear (extinct)
The short-faced bear was a massive creature, with some estimates placing them at up to 1,500 pounds and 11 feet tall when standing on their hind legs.
They had large heads and long snouts, which earned them the nickname dog-face bear.
Their diet mainly consisted of meat; they were known to eat almost anything they could catch, including other bears.
Sadly, these different types of bears in the world went extinct around 13,000 years ago.
Experts are unsure what happened to these giant animals, but climate change may have affected their extinction.
8. Sloth Bear
The short-faced bear was the most prominent member of the bear family, with some individuals growing to over 10 feet tall when standing on their hind legs.
These different types of bears were native to North and South America and are thought to have gone extinct around 11,000 years ago.
Some theories suggest that they were hunted to extinction by humans, while others believe that climate change played a role in their demise.
Whatever the case, these impressive animals are now nothing more than a distant memory.
9. Eurasian Brown Bear
The Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) is Europe’s giant and most common bear. It’s also known as the European brown bear, common brown bear, or simply brown bear.
It’s a subspecies of the brown bear, including the Kodiak and grizzly bears.
These different types of bears are found in most of Europe, except for Iceland, Ireland, and the Mediterranean islands.
10. American Black Bear
The American black bear is the smallest of the three bear species in North America and is located across much of the continent.
They typically live in forested areas but can also be found in swamps and mountainous regions.
Adult male American black bears weigh between 140 and 400 pounds, while females weigh between 90 and 250 pounds.
American black bears can have a brown, cinnamon, or even blonde coat despite their name.
11. Spectacled Bear
The spectacled bear is the only bear found in South America and is the largest land predator on the continent.
Despite their name, only about a third of spectacled bears have distinctive cream-colored ‘spectacles’ around their eyes.
These different types of bears are excellent tree climbers that stay in trees for days.
Their diet consists mainly of fruits, nuts, and insects, but they will also eat small mammals and carrion.
Unfortunately, spectacled bears are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation due to human activity.
12. Tibetan Blue Bear
The Tibetan blue bear is a subspecies of the brown bear that lives in the high alpine forests of Tibet.
These bears are shy and elusive, and very little is known about them. They are listed as endangered due to habitat loss and poaching.
The best way to see a Tibetan blue bear in the wild is to visit Tibet! Bears can be seen at wildlife sanctuaries like Qinghai Lake Wildlife Sanctuary.
13. Grizzly Bear
The grizzly bear is a large subspecies of brown bear that can be found across North America.
These bears are typically brown, but their fur can range from blonde to black.
Grizzly bears are known for their massive size, with some males weighing over 800 pounds!
These powerful animals are apex predators and play an essential role in their ecosystems.
While they may look scary, grizzly bears are shy and typically avoid humans.
These different types of bears can live in forests and arctic tundra habitats.
It lives on a diet primarily of meat (such as salmon) but will also eat other animals if available (such as moose).
The black bear lives up to its name with black fur but can be brown or blonde.
They can climb trees and live in many habitats, although they prefer forests or mountainous areas.
14. Koala Bear
The Koala Bear is a marsupial from Australia that resembles a small teddy bear. They are one of the most recognizable and popular animals in the world.
Koalas are very calm and docile creatures that spend most of their time sleeping or eating eucalyptus leaves.
Although they are often called koala bears, they are not classified as bears! That’s right; these different types of bears are more closely related to kangaroos than bears.
They get their name because they look like teddy bears with fluffy gray fur, big round eyes, small noses, and little ears.
Koalas live in gum trees but can also be found in large groups on the ground where there is enough food for them to eat (eucalyptus).
These little guys find a shady spot to sleep under when it gets too hot outside until things cool down again.
15. Syrian Brown Bear
The Syrian brown bear is a subspecies of the brown bear.
They are smaller than other brown bears, and their fur is usually lighter.
These different types of bears are found in Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey’s mountains and forests.
These bears are excellent climbers and often build their nests in trees.
Although they are not considered threatened, they have become endangered due to overhunting and loss of habitat.
