| Cave Bear | |
|---|---|
| |
| Biological information | |
| Time period : | Pleistocene epoch |
| Lifestyle : | Omnivore (Plant and Meat eater) |
| In the series | |
| Appearances : | A Mammoth Undertaking |
The cave bear is a species of bear that lived during the Pleistocene in North America that became extinct about 27,000 years ago.
Facts
The cave bear had a very broad, domed skull with a steep forehead. Its stout body had long thighs, massive shins and in-turning feet, making it similar in skeletal structure to the brown bear. These animals were comparable in size to the polar bear. The average weight for males was 400–500 kilograms (880–1102 pounds), while females weighed 225–250 kg (496–551 lbs). Of cave bear skeletons in museums, 90% are male due to a misconception that the female skeletons were merely "dwarfs". Cave bears grew larger during glaciations and smaller during interglacials, probably to adjust heat loss rate. These bears of the last Ice Age lacked the usual two or three premolars present in other bears; to compensate, the last molar is very elongated, with supplementary cusps. The humerus of the cave bear was similar in size to that of the polar bear, as were the femora of females. The femora of male bears, however, bore more similarities in size to those of kodiak bears.[1]
In Prehistoric Park
The cave bear returning to its cave. (A Mammoth Undertaking)
A Mammoth Undertaking
When Nigel Marven entered a cave, he awoke a hibernating cave bear. Nigel slowly exited the cave but unfortunately, the creature followed. The bear chased Nigel and the cameraman but luckily, Nigel was able to escape by climbing a tree. As for the cameraman, the animal swiped the camera with its claws but the cameraman was able to escape. The cave bear then returned to its cave, however Nigel was unable to save it as he didn't have the right tools.
Gallery
- See also: Images of Cave bear
Errors
- Cave bears died out long before 10,000 years ago. Nigel even pointed this out right after the chase.
- Cave bears actually may have been mainly vegetarian.
- Cave bears were probably not very aggressive, like some modern bears, though this is a speculation.