Merbear

The merbear (also known as bearmaid, especially for female merbears), as the name implies, is a meranimal that has the front half of a bear and the back half of a fish's tail. Most merbears are of the grizzly and brown species (often derived from the Hopelandian grizzly bear and Hopelandian brown bear) and have green tails (many other tail colors are possible). It is the national animal of Hopeland (and to a lesser extent Great Giana), being used as a variety of symbols, from governmental to entertainment use. It is also used by overseas Hopelandians. Exact numbers of merbears worldwide are hard to track. Today, merbears can be found worldwide, and their behavior varies wildly.
==Legend==
There is a popular Hopelandian legend that tells the birth of the merbear. From what is known, there was a bear in the Hopelandian Rocky Mountains who lived by a river. One day, there was a flood and the bear's cave was filled with magical fishes. It is known that the bear ate one, gave birth to a merbear cub and eventually the father turned into a merbear. Such legend has been told many times, and was believed to be coined by the Hakkis.
==Species==
The most common species is the brown merbear (accounting to about 75% of merbears in Nara), followed by the grizzly merbear. Recently, polar merbears were discovered along the Hopelandian coast.
Regardless of species, merbears are neutral to any climate, an advantage of the mermaid gene. Usually grizzly and brown merbears have green tails, some even have other colors.
Some merbears, particularly those of the grizzly kind, have developed some sort of ability to utter human languages even though said ability is limited to a few words.
Merbears don't hibernate. Due to being mermaid species, they seem to have periods of sleep influenced by a conventional merperson, itself likely influenced from humans.
Due to their nature with the mermaid gene, they are considered to be "free species" by international wildlife associations. Because of this, merbears have been spread to other parts of the world. There's a wide belief saying that merbears are native to the Ashtalaic subcontinent, Tyntalsya and the Sierras.
Exact calculations regarding the number of merbears are imprecise, some Hopelandian scientists speculate that the number is of 200,000 worldwide, others seem to claim at least double the figure. These figures apply to all species of merbears.
Some merbears are highly muscular, due to their proximity with merpeople.
==Reproduction==
Male merbears seem to reproduce occasionally, and often without a female merbear. Male reproduction is similar to seahorses.
==Relations==
It's usually believed that merpeople seem to understand - and also tame - merbears due to their similar nature to merpeople.
Scientists have been studying relations between humans and merpeople and merbears.
==Intelligibility with humans==
Since merbears have the merman gene, they have the ability to utter human/merman sounds, as well as roaring.
==Usage in Hopeland==
*The merbear is in the coat of arms of Hopeland, alongside a merman. It is also common in local merculture, especially in the Northulic coast and in Rhetundo, where more merbears are known to live. This notion has been carried on from the native tribes.
*Some Hopelandian government bodies use the merbear as their symbol or mascot. Known examples include the Ministry of Tourism. There are also merbear statues in the Hopelandian Federal District, Albany and Palmerston.
**In the External Hakki Territory, usage of merbears is widespread.
***A similar situation happens in the Botojan Islands, Patagonia and Great Giana, countries under Hopelandian influence.
*In the 80s and 90s, Hopelandian Public Television and Hopelandian Public Radio used an image of a merbear as their logos.
*Since its inception in 1962, a gridiron team in Gatwick is named after the meranimal. Known as the Gatwick Merbears, its mascot is a merbear practicing the sport. The merbear was selected for being the national animal representing the federal capital.
*Voice of Hopeland was also given the nickname "The Roaring Merbears of the Airwaves".
*In Ketogene, M&K's mascot Timber as well as Timber and Cody's "artificial" child can be merbears. One of Timber's younger brothers, Huddies, is a merbear.
==Usage abroad==
Outside of Hopeland, the Merbear is less used. It resonates the most among the Hopelandian expat community, but has seen a little increase in a handful of countries, especially countries where Hopeland has good international relations.
The 2011 Hartunger webgame Albany Shark has a merbear mode.
Flarlandian webtoon Bearcakes features an anthropomorphic bear who, by the end of the series and in subsequent reunions, is revealed to be a merbear.
Merbears got some popularity in Lenapore partly due to the country having a similar national animal (the merlion) and due to the fact that it and Hopeland have good relations. An animated series featuring a merbear and a merlion ran on Hopelandian network IBS in 1964, with the main characters being inspired by the national animals of Hopeland and Lenapore respectively, was inspired by these relations.
A similar analogy was found in the first match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, between Hopeland and Lenapore, won by Hopeland.