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Except for the carnivorous polar bear and the vegetarian giant panda, ursids are omnivorous, consuming many items that seem small for an animal of such large size. Ants, bees, seeds of trees, roots, nuts, berries, insect larvae such as grubs, and even the dainty dogtooth violet are eaten. Many bears relish honey, and the sun bear is sometimes called the “honey bear” because of this. Prey taken by bears include rodents, fish, deer, pigs, and seals. Grizzlies (North American subspecies of the brown bear, Ursus arctos) are known for their skillful fishing during the spawning runs of salmon. The polar bear’s diet is dictated by the Arctic environment, as little vegetation grows within its range. The Asian sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) delights especially in raiding and destroying termite nests, sucking up termites and larvae with
Bucky Reeves—The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo ResearchersMost bears, including the American and Asiatic black bears (Ursus americanus and U. thibetanus), eat large amounts of food before entering a den for a period of deep sleep during the winter. The polar bear digs a den in the snow, whereas grizzlies build large mounds of dirt in front of their dens. Bears, however, lack the physiological characteristics (lower heart rate, body temperature, breathing rate, and blood pressure) exhibited by animals that truly hibernate.

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Male polar bears sometimes aggregate; otherwise bears are solitary, except during the mating season. Then they tend to congregate, pair off, and mate in seclusion. The male leaves the female soon after mating and plays no role in raising the young. Gestation periods vary, the fertilized egg remaining dormant in the uterus (delayed implantation), which ensures the birth of young while the female is in the winter den and guarantees that the cubs will emerge from the den in the spring, when food is abundant. Ursids breed once per year at most, and many bears breed only every two to four years. The breeding season is usually in late spring or early summer. Delayed implantation results in most births occurring in January or February. Newborn bears weigh about half a kilogram (one pound) and are about 23 cm (9 inches) long from the nose to the tip of the short tail. Twins are most common in bears, but up to five young may be produced. The cubs nurse for a few months and stay with the female until the next breeding (about a year and a half or more after birth). Most young, however, can get along on their own by about six months of age. Bears reach breeding condition at three and a half to six years of age, males usually maturing later than females. Longevity of bears in the wild ranges from 15 to 30 years, but in captivity they can live considerably longer.