CHARACTERISTIC MAMMALS OF NORTH AMERICA 



BEASTS OF PREY: Order Ferw 

 BEARS: Family Ursidae 









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Three groups of bears are found 

 in North America, the Black, 

 Grizzly and Brown, each repre- 

 sented by several species. The 

 first two groups are peculiar to 

 North America; the Brown bears 

 are related to those of northern 

 Europe and Asia and their ances- 

 tors probably came over at the 

 same time as those of the bison 

 and mountain sheep; the Polar 

 Bear is a strictly Arctic animal 

 and rarely reaches the continent. 



Roughly speaking, Brown bears 

 are found along the seacoast and 

 the borders of big rivers; Grizzlies 

 dwell among the hills, and the 

 Black Bear group is partial to 

 swamps and forests. 



There have been generally rec- 

 ognized 14 species and subspecies 

 of Black bears, 5 of Grizzlies, and 

 10 of Brown bears. Recently Dr 

 C. Hart Merriam has allowed not 

 less than 86 species and subspecies 

 of Grizzlies and Brown bears. 



DISTRIBUTION OF BEARS 



Black Bear Group [•.-.■. 



Grizzly Bears jfeftft 



Brown Bears HgH 



label for family group 

 Hall of North American Mammals 



