Be Fair to Bears
Bears are big solid mammals with strong legs, long noses, short tails, and thick fur. Bears are the same kind of animals as seals and walruses.
Despite their large size and lumbering walk, bears have a flair for swimming and scaling trees. Sharp claws help bears grip and tear. Bears are active during the evenings. Their sharp sense of smell helps them navigate and find food.
A bear’s diet includes fish, insects, rodents, and grasses. Bears also eat scraps that people leave behind at campsites. Bears don’t spend much time in pairs. They prefer to live and hunt alone.
Bears survive the cold, harsh winters by sleeping. They shelter themselves in caves or dens and hibernate until spring returns. They don’t eat, drink, or wake the entire winter. When spring arrives, starving bears come out of their lairs to hunt.
Your favorite teddy bear may be soft and sweet, but real bears can be very threatening. Female bears defend their cubs at all costs. People have taken over much of the bear’s natural habitat, leaving bears little room to roam free. Laws have been passed to protect bears’ habitats and give them a fair chance at survival.
Bears often perform in traveling shows. Trained bears may wear costumes or perform feats such as standing on chairs, walking across wires, or twirling. Many think making bears perform stunts and tricks is unfair. Bears are not stuffed dolls. They need fresh air and room to roam. Be fair. Let bears run free. Pick up litter. Keep the bear’s habitat clean!