Cubs stay with the mother for one or two years. She teaches them to hunt for food. Bears are meat-eating animals, but they also eat many other kinds of food. They hunt mice, ground squirrels, and other small animals in fields and forests. They may wade into streams and catch fish with their front paws or strong jaws.
Bears sometimes prey on livestock, especially lambs and young pigs.
Their diet also may include acorns, berries, fruits, nuts, and the leaves and roots of plants. Bears are fond of honey and will rip apart beehives or the nests of wild bees to get it. Their long, thick fur helps protect them from bee stings. Bears often wander far in search of food. Bears are usually peaceful animals.