Bears

Bears are a group of animals and the representation there of. Scientifically speaking there are 8 bear species: Brown bears, American black bears, South American black bears, Asian black bears, Spectacled bears, Sun bears, Polar bears, and Panda bears. Pandas, while recognized as bears, used to be thought of as being more related to raccoons for some, and are now fully acknowledged by science and regular people as bears. They have their own identity in a sense slightly separate from other bears due to their previously percieved genetic differences, fascinating color, association with China, and general cultural consensus. More information about how they impact culture can be found on their article. Polar bears nearly reach this point, but it's not quite far enough. Brown bears are the most popular representation of bears in American culture. It is such that the word "bear" refers to all these species of bears, but bear itself is a generic term that loosely follows this species' body morphology and behaviors, with a strong focus on teddy bears.
Category:Bears