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Species in News: Brown Bears
Context:
Sweden plans to kill 486 brown bears starting August 21, 2024, as part of a controversial licensed trophy hunting season.
More on News:
- Conservationists are worried that this hunt could reduce Sweden’s brown bear population by 20%, impacting over a century of conservation efforts.
- Brown bears are listed as a “Strictly protected species” under EU law, which means population-regulating hunting should not be permitted.
About Brown Bears:
- Distribution: Found in North America, Europe, and Asia.
- Scientific Name: Ursus arctos
- Common Names: Brown bear, grizzly bear, Kodiak bear, European brown bear, Himalayan brown bear etc.
- IUCN Status: Least Concern
- Habitat: Includes forests, woodlands, alpine and subalpine meadows, and Arctic tundra.
- Seasonal Movement: Relocate between lower elevations in spring and higher elevations in winter.
- Diet: Omnivore, consumes grasses, berries, sedges, fungi, mosses, roots, nuts, fruits, honey, insects, birds, and fish.
- Threats: Habitat Loss, Human Conflicts, Illegal Hunting etc.
- Cultural Significance: In parts of Asia, brown bear paws and bile are used in traditional medicine.
- The Ainu people of Japan worship the brown bear as a mountain god and consider it their ancestor.