Himalayan brown bear

The Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus), also called the Himalayan red bear or isabelline bear, is a special type of brown bear that lives in the western Himalayas. It is the biggest animal in that area, with males growing up to 2.2 meters (about 7 feet 3 inches) long. Females are a bit smaller but still very large.

These bears eat many different things, making them omnivorous. This means they enjoy both plants and small animals. Like other bears, the Himalayan brown bear spends the winter months resting and sleeping safely in special dens, a process called hibernating. This helps them survive through the cold months when food is scarce.

Description

Himalayan brown bears are different in size depending on if they are male or female. Males can be from about 1.5 to 2.2 meters long, which is roughly between 4 feet 11 inches and 7 feet 3 inches. Females are a bit smaller, ranging from about 1.37 to 1.83 meters, or 4 feet 6 inches to 6 feet 0 inches long. These bears are usually a sandy or reddish-brown color.

Distribution and habitat

The Himalayan brown bear lives in the western Himalayas, from places like Khunjerab, Deosai, Nanga Parbat, Qurumbar, and Broghil in the Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral regions of northeastern Pakistan. It is also found in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand in northern India, as well as in the Himalayas of central Nepal.

We do not know if these bears are connected to brown bear groups in the Karakoram Mountains or on the Tibetan Plateau.

Phylogenetics and evolution

The Himalayan brown bear is part of a single group that is closely related to all other brown bears and the polar bear. Scientists believe this group separated from others about 658,000 years ago during a cold period called the Middle Pleistocene. This separation happened when the ancestors of the Himalayan brown bear were isolated in a special area.

Studies also show that the Gobi bear is very similar to the Himalayan brown bear and might be a remaining group from the same family.

Behaviour and ecology

The Himalayan brown bears sleep through the winter in a place called a den or cave. They usually go to sleep around October and wake up in April or May.

Feeding

These bears eat many different things. They enjoy plants, grasses, roots, fruits, berries, insects, and small animals. Sometimes they also eat larger animals like sheep and goats. They like to eat early in the morning and again in the afternoon.

Threats and conservation

The Himalayan brown bear faces many dangers that threaten its survival. People sometimes take the bear’s fur and claws for decoration and use its organs for medicines. Shepherds may also kill bears to protect their animals. In the region of Himachal Pradesh, bears live in special protected areas called the Kugti and Tundah wildlife sanctuaries and the Chamba region. Their favorite home is a tree called buransh, which is also the state flower of Himachal. However, these trees are often cut down for commercial use, which harms the bear’s habitat.

Population

In Pakistan, the Himalayan brown bear is considered critically endangered. In 2007, it was estimated that there were about 150–200 bears in northern Pakistan, living in an area of about 150,000 km². The Deosai plateau is currently the best home for these bears. Even though their habitat is shrinking, the population in Deosai National Park is growing because it is well protected. Bears face threats from activities like overgrazing, farming, and poaching. In 2021, Pakistan declared two new areas, Himalaya National Park and Nanga Parbat National Park, as protected for these bears. A survey in 2022 found about 66 bears in Deosai National Park and nearby valleys. Bears have also been seen in other protected areas.

Threats from human waste

In the Indian Himalayan region, a big problem for bears is that they eat human waste. This happens because there is more tourism and not enough proper waste management. Studies show that up to 75% of the bear’s food now comes from human waste sites. Eating waste gives bears less nutrition than their natural food and can make them sick from harmful chemicals and diseases. It also causes injuries from plastic. This problem is made worse by the difficult terrain and cold climate, which make waste management hard. Groups are working to improve waste management and work with local communities to help protect the bears.

Association with the Yeti

In Nepal, the term "Dzu-Teh" is sometimes linked to stories about the Yeti, also called the Abominable Snowman. During an expedition in 1954, a person named Tom Stobart came across something called a "Dzu-Teh," as told by Ralph Izzard in his book. Later, in 2017, scientists found that DNA from an animal thought to be a Yeti actually came from a Himalayan brown bear.

In media

The 2016 film based on Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book shows Baloo as a Himalayan brown bear.