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Post by Gorilla king on Jul 6, 2021 11:43:14 GMT -5
Accepted scientific name: Ursus thibetanus laniger (Pocock, 1932)
Description: Black pelage with a light brown muzzle and a pale yellow or whitish crescent on the chest. On average around 1.4 to 1.7 metres in length and weight from 90 to 200 kg (the higher figure only likely just prior to hibernation).
Himalayan black bear – 1896 (Friedrich Specht (1839-1909) (Public Domain)
Range: Through the Himalaya from Bhutan in the east to Pakistan in the west in mountainous areas and jungles.
Approximate range of Himalayan black bear outlined in red (mapbliss.com / Bear Conservation – Creative Commons Licence)
Habitat: During the summer Himalayan black bears can be found in warmer areas of Nepal, China, Russia, and Tibet as high as 4,000 metres, approaching the treeline. In winter they descend to the lower, tropical forests typically at around 1,500 to 2,000 metres.
Status: Protected since 1977 and listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Life span: Probably in the region of 25 to 30 years in the wild.
Food: The bears are omnivorous although predominately herbivorous feeding on grasses, herbs, fruits, nuts including acorns, pine nuts, larvae, invertebrates, termites, small mammals, eggs, bees and honey. They will also eat carrion when available and take grain from areas of cultivation and have been known to prey upon sheep, goats and cattle.
Behaviour: Naturally diurnal but many are largely nocturnal in order to avoid contact with humans. Often rest during the day in caves or hollow trees. Believed to mate in October and cubs are born in February in the den. Cubs usually stay with their mothers for two years during which time she will not become pregnant again. Females are sexually mature at around three or four years of age.
Threats: The main threat is loss of habitat to agriculture, forestry, forest fires and housing with a resultant increase in conflict with humans. Poaching continues to be a serious problem.
www.bearconservation.org.uk/himalayan-black-bear/
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Post by Gorilla king on Jul 6, 2021 11:45:49 GMT -5
Himalayan Black Bear: Gardener of the Forests
It may surprise many that the Himalayan black bear, also called the Moon bear or Asiatic black bear, holds responsibility for helping the forest ecosystem grow. Popularly and locally known as ‘Maali’ of forests, the black bear has a deep rooted significance in the wildlife community. The duty of cultivating, maintaining and protecting the Himalayan forests lies on the black bear. The role it plays is important in facilitating habitats of various flora and fauna. To further understand what a black bear does to protect its own, we took a stroll through Dachigam National Park and interacted with the forest guards and officials who know better.
Importance
The Himalayan black bear is an omnivore i.e. it eats both plants and small animals. Relying mostly on an acorn diet before and after hibernation, it also consumes fruits, berries, and other plant species found in the jungle. However, it excretes about 85% of the food material consumed, scattering undigested seeds all over the forest floor. These seeds semi-scathed and enveloped in organic matter germinate wherever the black bear passes out its faeces thus, forming new life all over the area. Without any human interference, the black bear gathers up new Himalayas.
Apart from this, when the bear searches for food, finding that lower branches have been depleted of food resources, it forages for fruits and berries up towards the top of trees. As such, it breaks off branches that are too fragile to hold its weight. Though it may seem the bear is destroying the forest, factually it is quite the opposite. Because in doing so, the bear creates a pathway for penetration of sunlight towards the lower growth, such as herbs, shrubs, or smaller vegetation that form a very important part of the whole forest ecosystem. The secondary growth that flourishes, as a result, supports many a flora and fauna.
Cleaning Up
We all know the significance of scavengers in our world. These animals or plants eat up the dead organic remains that would potentially harm our biosphere if not taken care of in a proper way. The Himalayan black bear also acts as a scavenger, eating diseased animals so that continuity is maintained. One of the reasons the black bear does this is because of its strong immune system. It also searches under fallen, partially decomposed logs for grubs, insects, and other biota. When the log is overturned, the side not yet decomposed faces the ground for being acted upon decomposers, thus enriching forest soil with nutrients. It is the black bear which gives up its life to protect our own. Thoroughly misunderstood, it nevertheless continues to protect the forest, cleans it up, and preserves the natural balance. This is what a black bear’s life is all about.
Relation with Humans
Conflicts with the local human population are often seen along the periphery of forests where black bears reside. Construction and development of urban jungles and horticulture farms lead to such interactions. What people don’t realize is that encroaching upon the forest land where a variety of species already exist and thrive will lead to involvement with the same. And improvised farms and orchards which are laden with fresh fruits are a welcome treat for those animals that are dislocated from their habitat, thus making human population susceptible to violence. Most of the time a black bear attacks because it is afraid or has cubs. Just as humans defend themselves, so do the bears too. But increasing proximity to their habitat will mean more conflicts, and more deaths on both sides. Although hostile interactions with the Himalayan black bear have been greatly reduced now when compared to a decade or two ago, yet awareness of sustainable living amongst masses is less. In order to protect wildlife, one has to provide them a breathing space. Unruly encroachments often result in such unsavoury situations.
The Himalayan black bear is a unique species, protecting and preserving the ecosystem as it has been designed to do. But affecting their population, breeding patterns and lifestyle is the untoward attitude of human population. This 250 kg mass of fur and a bit of terror is a friend to our forests, which eventually support us. Therefore, we should learn more about these creatures and devoutly protect them as our own.
thekashmirimages.com/2020/02/24/himalayan-black-bear-gardener-of-the-forests/
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Post by Gorilla king on Jul 6, 2021 11:47:58 GMT -5
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Post by Gorilla king on Jul 6, 2021 11:50:43 GMT -5
Book "Natural history of the mammalia of India and Ceylon" and here, they basically confirm what Jim Corbett stated. That the Himalayan black bear fears nothing.
"There are remarks that a wounded Himalayan black bear will sometimes show fight, but in general it tries to escape" this description is not, i think quite correct. Most of the fera will try to escape when wounded unless they see the hunter who has fired at them. The Himalayan black bear will not only do this invariably, but often attacks men without any provocation whatever, and its altogether, about the most fierce, vicious, dangerous brute to be meet with either in the hills or plains of India. They inflict the most horrible wounds chiefly with their paws, and generally, as Mr Sterndale states-on the face and head. This brutes are totally different in their dispositions to the brown bear (Ursus Isabellinus) (red bear), which, however, desperately wounded, will never charge. I belive there is no case on record of a hunter being charged by a brown bear, or even of natives, under any circumstances, being attacked by one. Whereas, everyone of your readers who has ever marched in the Himalayas must have come across many victims of the ferocity of Ursus thibetanus"
books.google.com/books?id=1NYnAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA114&dq=Himalayan+black+bear+kills&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjUiKnzp7noAhVxlnIEHZZfBicQ6AEIXzAJ#v=onepage&q=Himalayan%20black%20bear%20kills&f=false
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Post by Gorilla king on Jul 6, 2021 11:54:39 GMT -5
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Post by Gorilla king on Jul 6, 2021 11:57:00 GMT -5
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Post by Gorilla king on Jul 6, 2021 11:59:03 GMT -5
VALERY JANKOWSKI WITH A LARGE HIMALAYAN BLACK BEAR
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Post by Gorilla king on Jul 6, 2021 12:00:50 GMT -5
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Post by Gorilla king on Jul 6, 2021 12:10:39 GMT -5
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Post by Gorilla king on Jul 6, 2021 12:20:38 GMT -5
JIM CORBETT-BRITISH HUNTER AND NATURALIST:
"THIS TO A HIMALAYAN BEAR WHO FEARS NOTHING, AND WHO WILL, AS I HAVE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SEEN, DRIVE A TIGER AWAY FROM ITS KILL"
books.google.com/books?id=p79PAQAAMAAJ&q=This,+to+a+himalayan+bear+who+fears+nothing&dq=This,+to+a+himalayan+bear+who+fears+nothing&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj_jK6l-c7xAhVrmmoFHT35BwUQ6AF6BAgKEAM
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Post by Gorilla king on Jul 6, 2021 12:31:25 GMT -5
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Post by Gorilla king on Aug 9, 2021 11:11:07 GMT -5
Himalayan bear killed by tiger
11 November, 2009 – In the first recorded incident of its kind in Bhutan, a Himalayan black bear was killed and eaten by a royal Bengal tiger in the Jigme Dorji national park.
The carcass of the bear, with only its head, skin and paws remaining, was discovered by a team of foresters in Domenda, two days walk from Dodena in Thimphu, on November 7 at an altitude of 4,079 m. The kill has thrown up several questions on tigers being found at such high altitudes in winter, the relationship between bears and tigers in Bhutan’s wild and the implications of the tiger’s presence on the snow leopard habitat.
“It’s a confirmed kill by a royal Bengal tiger, since there are canine puncture marks on the bear’s throat and spine, as well as tiger claw marks lacerating the bears face and tiger pug marks in the area,” said Phub Tshering, the JDNP park beat officer, who discovered the carcass. He said that there were also signs of struggle between the bear and the tiger with rhododendrons bushes uprooted and claw marks on trees.
“Usually the Himalayan black bear is a powerful foe for any tiger and they avoid each other, but here the bear seems to be a juvenile at 2-3 years and hence did not have the muscle and fighting abilities it gets by the time it reaches its adult age of 5 years,” said Dr Sonam Wangyel, the chief forestry officer and wildlife biologist. He said that it was likely that the two animals met accidentally.
Phub Tshering said that some people, who were on tsam in the area, said that they had seen the same bear feeding on berries in late October. They also noticed tiger pug marks in the same area.
“We have, for the last three years, started noting multiple signs of the presence of tigers in such high altitude areas, ” said Phub Tshering.
Dr Sonam Wangyel said that, though there was no conclusive proof, it is possible that due to climate change the tree line was being pushed higher giving cover to the tiger. “This may also be due to shrinking and disturbed habitat at lower altitudes and hence the mountains may be the only undisturbed areas for the tiger,” he said. However, the real impact of tigers moving higher could be on the snow leopard, whose own snowline habitat could be shrinking. He said that clear scientific evidence was needed to establish the above hypothesis.
The incident has also given a peek into the relationship between the Himalayan black bear and the royal Bengal tiger.
In a camera trap set up in Nabji in 2006, it was found that a bull killed by a tiger was also being fed on by a bear at alternate intervals. “One day, the bear took away the whole carcass and the camera captured a bewildered look on the face of the tiger when it came back to feed again. The bear could be benefiting from the tigers kills,” said Dr Sonam.
He said in the wild carnivores would try to eliminate competition and the bear killed may have been a potential competitor. “Though it happens, this is rare incident since the tiger usually goes after smaller, less aggressive and weaker prey,” he said.
He also said that it was possible that tigers would be coming to these heights to cross into other valleys and that more of them were being detected due to better detection devices.
Old data show that around 115-150 tigers are found in Bhutan on the basis of sightings.
bigcatrescue.org/himalayan-bear-killed-by-tiger/
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Post by Gorilla king on Aug 25, 2021 11:01:47 GMT -5
Bear killed a full grown female leopard in a fight in North Kashmir, India. I am pretty sure this was either a Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus laniger), or a Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus). Both have ranges in North Kashmir's Kupwara district.
Bear Kills Leopard In North Kashmir
Srinagar
A leopard was found dead in the forest area of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Tuesday. As per wildlife officials, the leopard died in a fight against bear and it was even seen by some locals as well as local staffers.
Reports said body of full-grown leopard lying in the forest area of Gulab Nad area of Magam was spotted today.
Soon the wildlife officials reached the spot and recovered the carcass.
Postmortem was conducted by the veterinary doctors at a nearby facility and later its body was buried.
Incharge Wild Life Forester, Hafizullah Khan told news agency GNS that the female leopard died in a fight with a bear. “The fight was seen by wildlife guards,” he said.
kashmirlife.net/bear-kills-leopard-in-north-kashmir-231531/?amp
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Post by Gorilla king on Oct 5, 2021 10:57:52 GMT -5
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Post by Gorilla king on Oct 19, 2021 23:11:35 GMT -5
TIGER AND HIMALAYAN BLACK BEAR:
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Post by oldindigosilverback on Nov 6, 2021 7:29:30 GMT -5
The bear’s bite is not necessarily in the fatal areas but it can cause some crippling.
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Post by Gorilla king on Nov 22, 2021 17:57:35 GMT -5
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Post by fluffyfatbear on Nov 23, 2021 0:46:14 GMT -5
To be honest, the Asian black bear is the most badass bear pound for pound 😎
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Post by Gorilla king on Nov 23, 2021 4:38:17 GMT -5
To be honest, the Asian black bear is the most badass bear pound for pound 😎 You mean this particular subspecies? Because the Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus laniger) is the only Asiatic black bear subspecies that has accounts besting tigers, no other Asiatic black bear subspecies does. And this is the most aggressive black bear subspecies in the world. But all the other Asiatic black bear subspecies lack accomplishments.
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Post by arctozilla on Nov 23, 2021 8:52:22 GMT -5
TIGER AND HIMALAYAN BLACK BEAR: [br Tiger fans will cry a river after seeing that.
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