01 · Ursus arctos
Brown bear
Powerful, adaptable and widely distributed across northern forests, mountains and coastal regions.
Independent wildlife field notes
Meet the
wild ones.
A small visual field guide devoted to bears — their habitats, behavior, remarkable adaptations and the landscapes they call home.
Three very
different bears.
From temperate forests to Arctic sea ice, bears have adapted to some of the planet's most distinct ecosystems.
02 · Ursus maritimus
Polar bear
A marine mammal built for the Arctic, relying on sea ice as a platform for hunting and travel.
03 · Ursus americanus
American black bear
An excellent climber with remarkable ecological flexibility across North America's forests.
Built for
the wild.
Bears combine strength with extraordinary senses, memory, endurance and an ability to adjust their diet to local conditions.
7×
A bear's sense of smell is extraordinarily sensitive and plays a central role in finding food, identifying other animals and understanding its surroundings.
300+ kg
Large adult brown bears can reach impressive body mass.
Months
Some species spend long winter periods in dens.
Omnivores
Many bears eat a changing mix of plants and animal foods.
“To understand a bear is to understand the landscape around it.” Bear Special · Field Notes