"And out of the ground
Jehovah God formed every beast of the field, and every
bird of the heavens; and brought them unto the man to see
what he would call them: and whatsoever the man called
every living creature, that was the name
thereof."
"Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:27 Bears: Any of several species of a large carnivorous mammal, related to giant pandas, lesser pandas , raccoons, and dogs. A bear is distinguished from members of the other carnivore families by its heavy body; short tail; short, rounded ears; and plantigrade feet (both heel and sole touch the ground, as in humans) with five clawed toes. It also lacks the shearing teeth common to most carnivores; the crushing molars of a bear are believed to be an adaptation for a plant diet. Although all bears are classified as carnivores, the different species vary widely in their feeding habits. For example, the polar bear feeds almost exclusively on seals and other animals, but it may also graze on vegetation; the grizzly eats grasses, herbs, berries, and nuts as well as living or dead fish and other animals. Bear, Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
(Vocabulary) carnivore: SYL: car-ni-vore PRO: kar nih vor POS: noun DEF: 1. a flesh-eating animal, esp. a meat-eating mammal. mammal: SYL: mam-mal PRO: mae mEl POS: noun DEF: any of the vertebrate animals that feed their babies with milk from the female mammary glands and usu. produce living young. DER: mammalian, [adj.], n. vegetation: SYL: veg-e-ta-tionPRO: veh jE te shEnPOS: nounDEF: 1. plants or plant life generally, as in a particular area:EXA: the thick vegetation near the river.DEF: 2. the act or process of vegetating.DER: vegetational, adj.
Sun Bear The sun bear, an arboreal member of the bear family, is native to the forests of Southeast Asia. It has the shortest fur of any species of bear and strong claws that aid in climbing and resting in trees. The omnivorous sun bear feeds on termites, fruit, the tips of palm trees, and small birds and mammals. Joe McDonald/Bruce Coleman Inc./Library of Natural Sounds, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. All rights reserved.Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. (Vocabulary) arboreal: SYL: ar-bo-re-alPRO: ar bo ri ElPOS: adjectiveDEF: 1. pertaining or similar to trees.DEF: 2. living in or amid trees.DER: arboreally, adv. omnivorous: SYL: om-niv-or-ous PRO: am nI vE rEs POS: adjective DEF: 1. living on a diet of both plant and animal food
Ten Facts About Bears1. Bears are large animals with thick, strong legs. Bears have big heads, little eyes and small round ears. All bears are covered with heavy fur. 2. Bears can see and hear like us. Bears have a very good sense of smell. Bears can stand on their hind legs to smell and see better. Bears are smart and curious animals. 3. There are 8 different kinds of bears - brown bears, American black bears, polar bears, giant panda bears, Asiatic black bears, sloth bears, spectacled bears and sun bears. Brown bears are also called grizzly bears. Bears live in all parts of the world, except Africa, Australia and Antarctica. 4. Sun bears are the smallest bears. Sun bears live in southeast Asia. They weigh about 45 kilograms (100 pounds). Sun bears are the size of a large dog. Brown bears and polar bears are the biggest bears. They can be over 10 feet long. If a big brown bear or polar bear stands on its hind legs, its head is higher than the ceiling in most houses and classrooms. 5. Most brown bears and American black bears have brown or black fur. Polar bears have white or yellow-white fur. Giant panda bears look very different with their black and white fur. Sun bears, sloth bears and Asiatic black bears often have a white or yellow-white patch on their chest. Spectacled bears have white or yellow-white circles around their eyes. This makes them look like they are wearing eyeglasses or "spectacles". 6. Most bears eat nuts, fruit, berries, plants, insects, honey, fish and other animals. Polar bears eat seals which they catch out on the ice in the Arctic Ocean. Giant panda bears eat the leaves of the bamboo plant. Bears must get big to get ready for winter. To eat as much as a big bear, we would have to eat 50 hamburgers and 12 large orders of french fried potatoes each day for many weeks. 7. Mother bears can have 1, 2 or 3 cubs. Cubs are about the size of a small squirrel or chipmunk when born. They grow quickly by feeding on their mother's milk. They start to eat other foods after a few months. The cubs stay with their mother for a few years. The mother bear teaches them how to find food and how to stay safe. 8. Many bears live where the winter is very cold. In these places, bears will find or make a den. They will enter the den when it gets too cold and stay there until spring. This deep sleep is called "hibernation". Bears will not eat or drink during this time. Cubs are born while the mother bear is hibernating. 9. Bears have a few enemies. In North America, bears are sometimes killed by packs of wolves. In Asia, large tigers kill and eat brown bears and Asiatic black bears. Also, male bears will sometimes kill cubs and female bears. People are a bear's biggest enemy. People kill bears for sport. Bears are also killed to get parts of their bodies which are used by some people. Poaching bears is against the law. 10. More bears are dying each
year than are being born. Polar bears and American black
bears are safe for now. All other kinds of bears need
protection. We need to save large areas where bears and
other animals can live safely and not be hurt.
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The brown bear, Ursus arctos, inhabits the plains and tundra of northern Asia, Europe, and North America. Subspecies of the brown bear include the grizzly bear and Kodiak bear. These large bears feed on fish, berries, and succulent plants and can reach weights of 440 kg (970 lb). Johnny JohnsonALLSTOCK, INC. "Brown Bear," Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved (Vocabulary) tundra: SYL: tun-dra PRO: tuhn drE POS: noun DEF: 1. one of the huge, treeless plains in the arctic regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. DEF: 2. the characteristic combination of marshy soil, frozen subsoil, and plant life such as mosses, lichens, and low-growing shrubs, of such an area. species: SYL: spe-cies PRO: spi shiz PRO: spi siz POS: noun INF: species DEF: 1. in biology, the most fundamental classification of living things, comprising individuals that can breed with one another but not with those of other species; subdivision of a genus. SIM: subspecies
Habitats and Species: Bears occupy a wide range of habitats, but human encroachment has squeezed them primarily into mountain, forest, and arctic wilderness areas. These animals occur on all continents except Africa, Antarctica, and Australia. The Arctic coast areas of northern countries are the home of the , the only marine bear. It is also known as the ice bear in some languages because of its preference for hunting on sea ice. The bottoms of its paws are furred for traction. The Brown bear has lived successfully in the plains and forests of the North Temperate Zone. While its range is dangerously reduced in the lower United States, this bear survives and is hunted in Alaska and western Canada. The largest brown bear, the Kodiak of Alaska, weighs up to 780 kg (1700 lb) and is as much as 3 m (10 ft) tall. The closely related grizzly is named for its white- or silver-tipped fur. Remnant populations of European brown bears live in scattered mountain regions on that continent.
The American black bear varies in color from pure white (Kermode bear of the coast of British Columbia) to the pure black, bluish, blonde, and reddish-brown (cinnamon) found in western North America. The Asiatic black bear , also known as the moon bear, is found in mountain ranges of Southeast Asia. It has a black, shaggy coat with a pronounced white V shape on its chest. The upper lip is usually white. The Malayan , found from China to Indochina, has a short black coat with an irregular white or yellow mark on the chest and a light muzzle. Like all but the largest bears, it is a tree climber. Ranging through the tropical forests of India and Sri Lanka is the , named for its usually slow movements. This bear has a long snout and mobile lips, which are used to suck up termites. The long, shaggy black coat commonly has a white mark on the chest.
(Vocabulary) habitat: SYL: hab-i-tat PRO: hae bih taet POS: noun DEF: 1. the natural environment of a plant or animal. DEF: 2. a place of shelter or dwelling. encroach: SYL: en-croach PRO: ihn kroch POS: intransitive verb INF: encroached, encroaching, encroaches DEF: 1. to exceed the proper or intended limits, usu. gradually: EXA: The commercial district is encroaching on the residential zone. DEF: 2. to intrude or trespass: EXA: He encroached on my privacy. traction: SYL: trac-tion PRO: traek shEn POS: noun DEF: 1. the adhesive friction of a body moving on a surface, such as the tire of an automobile against a road. DEF: 2. the action of drawing or pulling a load over a surface, or the state of being so drawn. remnant: SYL: rem-nant PRO: rehm nEnt POS: noun DEF: 1. a quantity, piece, or part that is left over or remains. pronounced: SYL: pro-nounced PRO: prE naunst POS: adjective def. 2. marked or noticeable: EXA: a pronounced change in the weather.
Behavior and Life Cycle Bears have a life span of 15 to more than 30 years in the wild. All species possess a keen sense of smell, which is much more developed than their hearing or eyesight. Recent studies suggest that black, brown, and polar bears are true hibernators going without food or elimination of metabolic wastes for three to five months (and as long as seven months in northern Alaska). Compared to rodent hibernators, however, the body temperature of a hibernating bear remains higher, although the heart rate drops from 45 to only 10 beats per minute. In warm winter periods, a hibernating bear may revive and leave its den for brief periods. Vulnerable newborns receive additional warmth and protection sharing close quarters with their mother during hibernation. The cubs are born very small about 300 g (about 10 oz) among black bears and require maternal care for two or three years. Even after a yearling bear starts to feed independently, it needs protection from older males, which will kill and eat cubs. Females protect their young by chasing them up trees or by attacking other animals that approach too closely; a bear can run rapidly when necessary. Learning plays a large role in a cub ability to obtain food. Its relatively slow development and prolonged tie with its mother enable a cub to observe and replicate the mother skills. Even the predominantly herbivorous spectacled bear must learn when and where to find the most nutritious parts of plants in each season. Omnivorous black and brown bears survive by remembering from year to year where and when to return to salmon runs, rich patches of ripe berries, and other concentrated foods important for energy reserves for hibernation. Communication among bears depends on a signaling system that is effective over long distances, because a bear may travel as much as 150 km (90 mi) to exploit the changing seasonal foods in its home range. Bears appear to sense and avoid each other at a distance. Within a home range, trees may be clawed, bitten, and rubbed to serve as communicating signposts.
(Vocabulary) rodent: SYL: ro-dent PRO: ro dEnt POS: noun DEF: any of various related four-footed mammals, such as mice, rabbits, and woodchucks, characterized by large, sharp front teeth used for gnawing and nibbling. vulnerable: SYL: vul-ner-a-ble PRO: vuhl nE rE bEl POS: adjective DEF: 1. capable of being hurt or injured yearling: SYL: year-ling PRO: yir lIng POS: noun DEF: 1. any animal more than one but less than two years old. herbivorous: SYL: her-biv-o-rous PRO: hEr bI vE rEs PRO: Er bI vE rEs POS: adjective DEF: plant-eating; feeding on plants.
Scientific classification Bears make up the family Ursidae. The polar bear is classified as the brown bear as Ursus arctos; the American black bear as Ursus americanus; the Asiatic black bear as Ursus thibetanus; the sun bear as Helarctos malayanus, although some sources classify it as Ursus malayanus; the sloth bear as ursinus, although some sources classify it as Ursus ursinus; and the spectacled bear as Tremarctos ornatus. Contributed By: Barrie K. Gilbert Allen W. Stokes Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Hibernation Dormant condition in which many warm-blooded animals pass the winter, primarily in temperate and arctic regions. Any mammal that remains inactive for many weeks with a body temperature lower than normal may be said to be in hibernation, but physiological changes that occur during dormancy differ greatly among different species. A highly adapted hibernator, such as a ground squirrel, will retreat underground at the appropriate season, reduce its body temperature drastically within a few hours, and become dormant, even though the temperature outside may be well above freezing. It emerges quickly from hibernation as a burst of metabolic energy warms the body to operating level in a similarly short time. During hibernation the squirrel's metabolic rate may be 10 percent below normal, its heart may beat only 10 to 20 times per minute (instead of from 200 to 300), and it may breathe only four times per minute (instead of from 100 to 200). Some mammals, such as brown bears and various rodents, enter deep sleep during winter and have a somewhat decreased metabolic rate, but they may awaken on warmer days and feed; bears sometimes give birth, as well, during the winter. Other animals, including some birds, undergo a daily period of reduced metabolism. Amphibians and reptiles are cold-blooded, so that when environmental temperatures drop they enter a state of torpor rather than true hibernation, which involves body-temperature control. Some insects secrete an organic chemical called glycerol, which acts as a kind of antifreeze and allows them to tolerate temperatures below freezing. No birds are able to enter prolonged hibernation; those that lack sufficient insulation to survive long, cold winters migrate to warmer climates. Estivation, a condition of torpidity or dormancy similar to hibernation, is induced by heat and dryness. Many snails, for example, estivate in unfavorable hot, dry seasons, when food and moisture are scarce. "Hibernation," Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. reserved. 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights
(Vocabulary) dormant: SYL: dor-mant PRO: dor mEn POS: adjective DEF: 1. asleep or seemingly asleep; sluggish. SYN: asleep (2), hibernate (1)}, torpid (1), somnolent (1) SIM: unconscious DEF: 2. in a state of temporary inactivity or rest; suspended or slowed down. metabolism: SYL: me-tab-o-lism PRO: mE tae bE lih zEm POS noun DEF: the physical and chemical processes by which food is converted by a living organism to provide energy and produce and maintain cells and tissues. torpor: SYL: tor-por PRO: tor pEr POS: noun DEF: 1. a state of suspended movement or feeling, as in a dormant animal. insulate: SYL: in-su-late PRO: In sE let POS: transitive verb NF: insulated, insulating, insulates DEF: 1. to cover, line, or surround with a substance that reduces or stops the transfer of heat, electricity, or sound. DEF: 2. to protect, usu. by isolating:
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Books About Bears (Juv. Literature) Bird, E.J. "How do bears sleep?" (Bears Behavior) Wolfe, Art. "Bears, their life and behavior: a photogrpahic study of the North American species." (Juv. Literature) Bailey, Donna. "Bears" (Juv. Literature) Banks, Martin "The Polar bear on the ice" (Poetry) "Bear in Mind: a book of bear poems/ selected by Bobbeye S. Goldstein." (About Bears) Ahlstrom, Mark E. "The black Bear" (About Bears) "American Bears: Selections from the writings of Theodore Toosevelt/edited and with an introduction by Paul Schullery." (About Bears) Domico, Terry. "Bears of the World" (About Bears) Kaniut, Larry. "Alaska Bear Tales" (About Bears) Lynch, Wayne. "Bears: Monarchs of the Northern Wilderness" (About Bears) Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw. "The Way of the Grizzly" |
Bears
(Bible Memory Verses Marked in Red)
"And God said, Nay, but Sarah thy wife
shall bear thee
