Learn About The
Scandinavian Brown Bear

The Scandinavian brown bear is easily recognizable and can hardly be confused with any other animal. Their body is 130-250 cm long and roughly built, with strong bones, a thick neck, and a clear hump over the shoulder. The head is broad with small, round. Their color varies from light grey-yellow to almost black, although most bears are the typical brown. Bear cubs often have a distinctly bright collar around their neck that fades as they age. Adult females weigh 60-200 kg and males 100-315 kg. The overlap in size makes it practically impossible to distinguish male from females, unless of course the female has cubs.

 

Brown bears are omnivores and, in Scandinavia, they get most of their energy intake from berries, ants, and moose calves, but they also eat a wide variety of other foods including herbs, grasses, and fungi. Overall, plant foods dominate their diet and berries are one of their most important food sources. Berries are primarily important in autumn for building up fat reserves. During hibernation, which lasts 6-7 months, the bear survives only on the fat reserves built up during the summer and autumn. When the bear leaves the den in the spring, a large part of these fat reserves is gone.