Bear, any of eight species of large short-tailed carnivores found in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The sun bear is the smallest, often weighing less than 50 kg , and the largest is a subspecies of Alaskan brown bear called the Kodiak bear . The polar bear , however, is the largest bear species. The black bear is common in parts of the United States and Canada.
Bears are generally omnivorous, but dietary preferences range from seals for the entirely carnivorous polar bear to assorted vegetation for the largely herbivorous spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus). The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) eats only bamboo. Usually gaining weight beforehand, most bears sleep fitfully through much of the winter, but they do not truly hibernate. Despite their bulk, most bears climb with ease and swim strongly.
