A bear’s diet is relatively balanced with an equal balance of greens as well as meat as they are omnivorous animals.Bears belong to the family of Ursidae and are omnivorous in nature. They are mammals with a body covered with fur and have huge teeth and claws, they are mostly found in various parts of the North and South Hemisphere.Their large body is covered by fur and their ears and tails are small. They have five claws and a long snout. They are mammals and reproduce by giving birth to young ones. Grizzly bears stay in dens and go into hibernation in winters and can be both diurnal and nocturnal in nature depending upon when they stay awake at day or at night. Bears mostly live in caves in forests and are fast runners and swimmers.The giant panda is an herbivore in nature and depends completely upon bamboo plants for survival. But, the polar bears are completely carnivorous and are flesh-eaters who prey on many animals found in polar regions for food as, throughout North and South Pole regions, where vegetation is scarce. The rest of bear species like black bears and grizzly bears are omnivorous in nature and consume both flesh as well as vegetables as food. These bear species spend their time while preying on animals like caribou, carrion, and elk. After reading about the food source from which bears draw energy, you will also like to read about bear lifespan and do bears have tails.Are bears omnivores or carnivores?There are about eight different species of mammal bear. Depending upon their requirements and behavior bears of various species are classified as omnivores or carnivores.Most bears are omnivorous in nature. They eat both the fish and flesh of terrestrial animals as food and as well as vegetables, berries, and honey which makes them omnivorous in nature. This nature of bears totally depends upon the place they survive in. In the case of polar bears, they are completely carnivorous in nature as they are found in the extreme weather conditions of the North and South Pole where no vegetation and food sources are available.These bears have to look upon fish and animal flesh as foods for survival making them completely carnivorous in nature. But, bears like the grizzly bear and black bears even though they fall under the category of carnivorous still act as omnivores consuming both plants as well as animals. Black bears come out of their dens in the spring and summer seasons. They know well that grasses now will live for just a month as a result of which they kill deer and sloths for survival. Often food sources like sweetgrass, plant and greenery, and berries in coastal regions attract the American black bear and pull them towards eating plants.Giant pandas too are considered as bear species and they are the only bears who depend completely upon vegetation like bamboo for survival. Thus, depending upon the climatic conditions bears are omnivorous and carnivorous in nature. These opportunistic predators also eat rabbits for their nutrition requirements.Do bears eat honey?Many of us have watched the animated movie ‘Winnie the Pooh’ and we’re totally obsessed with Pooh Bear’s cuteness and his round belly. We couldn’t forget the fact how much Pooh Bear loves to eat honey and was always seen with a pot of honey at his disposal. Many of us have wondered if the fact is true that bears love eating honey, well the answer is yes. Black bears do eat honey and simultaneously enjoy eating honey.Grizzly bears, brown bears, black bears love to eat honey. They are naturally covered with an extensive layer of thick fur which prevents them from being hurt by a bee sting. Once an American black bear finds a bee buzzing nearby, it will surely search for its beehive built on a tree. However, it’s not just honey that a bear will eat from a beehive. As observed by biologists, an American black bear eats even bees, the larvae and the reason for consuming this is that it is rich in protein. Bears are even known to endure the bee stings on the face and ears just to make it till the larvae and the eggs. And once they get their requirements they shake off the bees from their body and run away with the comb. Often, bears are found attacking beehives coming out of wildlife in various farms as a result of which the farmers face an extreme loss and sometimes they build electric fences to keep bears away.Food Consumption By SeasonDepending upon various seasons like summer, winter, fall various vegetation are available and bears consume what is available. This makes them omnivores.During the spring season when there is a wide range of vegetation growth and lush greenery, a bear at that time usually lives upon a plant. They eat dandelions, willow catkins, clover, aspen leaves, and normal green sweet grass and plants. During spring when new buds develop into flowers it’s rich in protein content and that is what the bears prefer. During this time the flowers are easier to digest and eat because the cellulose and cell wall have not been formed. Bears gain fat during this time. Animal food consumed by bears in the spring season includes newborn fawns, moose calves, deer as they are a rich source of protein.During the summer season, insects like ants and bumblebees are most active. At this time, the bears depend upon ant colonies and bumblebees because of the rich protein content found there. It is at this time when the bear’s diet features fruits like berries, strawberries, chokecherries, blueberries, raspberries, and other fruits which are soft and can be easily eaten. During some summers, berry production is scarce and it is then that bears start exploring for alternate food to survive often destroying human habitats. If consecutive years see a drop in berry production then bears find it difficult to survive. They lose a lot of weight and the young ones of the bears die. Also, the female’s reproductive rate goes down and the young one’s weight too decreases and they die eventually.During the fall season, bears eat acorns, beechnuts, mountain ash, and hazelnuts.During winters, bears generally go into hibernation.How does the bear hunt?Bears have an excellent sense of smell. They can get the smell of their prey from a distance according to which they decide to make a move.Once a bear pounces on its prey it will bite them on its neck or back and kill it instantly. A bear’s paw is very strong too and a single swipe of the forepaw can break an animal’s spine and maim it. The canines of a bear are very sharp and canine marks are left on a prey’s wound. Once the prey is killed it starts eating it off from the hip and chest regions. Once it becomes full it stores the carcasses for later consumption. It will dig a pit and place the body under the soil and cover it with grass and moss. Sometimes, a bear might use snow to cover the remaining portion. Other times it stores its prey in running water and it’s this carcass that keeps a bear full for several days.What can I feed a wild bear?Often wildlife care units take care of an abandoned cub or a maimed wild bear. In such cases, you need to know what should a bear be fed to be kept in a proper condition.Various food items you can feed a wild bear include a wide range of soft berries, honey collected straight from combs, the meat of rabbits and chicken, and legs of cow and deer and fish. Beers are fond of beef and can be fed that. Vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes can be fed to bears. Fruits like apples, oranges, melons, grapes can also be offered to a bear.Ethics Of Feeding Wild BearsAccording to biologists and wildlife sanctuaries they often prevent humans strictly from feeding food to bears. There are various reasons why humans shouldn’t feed food to bears.Firstly, many people toss human food in front of a bear. Now, the food consumed by humans, especially packet foods, has a large number of added chemicals in them, which, when consumed by bears, becomes a problem and to some extent can even be poisonous for them.Secondly, once you start giving a bear treats it will get accustomed to it and then will destroy habitats and properties to get to the small treats.Thirdly, once you start feeding a bear they start losing their own ability to hunt their prey. Often, wild bears when fed human food changes their behavior making them more aggressive towards humans.It is for these reasons that the wildlife care units have banned feeding wild animals and so have they banned hunting of bears for meat and flesh.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what do bears eat then why not take a look at do bears eat deer or brown bear facts.
A bear’s diet is relatively balanced with an equal balance of greens as well as meat as they are omnivorous animals.
