The bear's gait is plantigrade, with the soles of the foot touching the ground as they walk, resulting in a characteristic shuffling gait. The claws are controlled by powerful muscles enabling bears to climb as well as dig and dismantle objects while foraging. Hearing and and sight are less developed than their acute sense of smell. Bears are largely herbivorous, as their build and the arrangement of their teeth suggest although some consume meat, when it is available. Many species are better characterized as omnivorous except for the polar bear which is carnivorous.
Bears generally live alone except for courting pairs and females with cubs.
Litters are produced at intervals of one to four years with a short gestation period, although females are able to delay implantation of the fertilized egg extending pregnancy six to nine months. Litter size is one to four helpless cubs weighing 7 to 25 ounces, typically born in seclusion in dens or caves. They remain with their mother at least through their first year, become sexually mature at 2 to 5 years of age and live 15 to 30 years in the wild. The species that live in extremely cold regions spend most of the winter asleep in a den, referred to as hibernation, although bears do not hibernate in the true sense of the word. True hibernation is defined as a state of torpidity or inactivity where the body temperature substantially drops from normal levels and a state of almost suspended animation is achieved.