Eurasian brown bear

The Eurasian brown bear occupies vast forested and mountainous areas of the Northern Hemisphere. The colour of its fur ranges from all shades of brown to black. It is a very powerful animal, larger and more solid than the black bear, and unlike the latter it has a hump of muscles above the shoulders which increases the strength of its front legs. The animal is solitary except during breeding periods or when food is concentrated in particular areas, such as when salmon return to the rivers to spawn. Despite its size and weight (up to 700 kg), the brown bear can run at speeds of over 50 km/h. It is omnivorous but adapts its diet to local resources. It is mainly vegetarian (herbs, seeds, berries, etc.), but it also eats insects, fish and occasionally small mammals. It has a keen sense of smell and very acute hearing. When winter draws in, the brown bear enters a state of torpor but does not truly hibernate. It takes refuge in a protected place and slows down, living off its fat reserves.