Explain the type of data that is studied to trace the evolutionary path of bears. Consider anatomical, biochemical, genetic, and behavioral. Explain how an animal with a stomach designed to digest meat has adapted to a herbivorous diet. Discuss what physiological changes would need to take place when an animal hibernates for several months. Discuss characteristics that distinguish the giant panda from the rest of the bear family.
Bears are omnivorous, and most require large home ranges to survive.
It doesn't take much to disrupt a natural habitat. A new highway, a shopping center, the development of homes, or even a new recreational park can unbalance the ecosystem. Bears have suffered the most from the destruction of wilderness areas, but they have also been the victims of trophy hunting, poaching, and human contact. Examples are tracking, home range, migration patterns, and hibernation studies. Shaped by the Bear From constellations, to children's fairy tales, to teddy bears, to European folklore, bears have served as a source of inspiration for political symbolism, art, and literature.