Bear Gubach - description, habitat, lifestyle

In the middle of the 20th century, one of the first narrative stories appeared, including Gubach. This bear already created a real sensation. No one could believe that the Gubha is considered a relative of the clumsy beast. This is not surprising, since according to their external data the representative of the family is more similar to the anteater or the sloth. He does not frighten at all, but on the contrary, causes affection. Due to his habits, the family member under discussion is considered the most peaceful, but it is not. In today's material we will consider all aspects related to it.

Description

1. By gubber is meant a unique shaggy beast that does not look like other bears. Because of the peculiarities and habits of these individuals, they were assigned to a separate group, since they are not at all similar to the other bear representatives. Snout elongated, agile, eye-catching.There is no fur on the lips, so the individuals cause even greater affection. Lips remind trunk or tube. Therefore, individuals of the category and got their name.
2. If we compare the discussed species of bears, it is impossible to say that these individuals are large. Among themselves, they are average, they can grow up to a maximum of 1.7 m in the body. The tail is given about 10 cm in addition to the body. When a bear is standing on four legs, its height at the withers is 90 cm. For a person, these dimensions may seem huge, but for such animals they are insignificant. Weight category - 130 kg. average. Females by weight less by 30%.
3. In all other senses, the ghouls are like a bear. The constitution is dense and strong, the body is stately and sloping, the limbs are elongated, the head has a rounded format. The frontal part is flat, the muzzle is long and heavy. The fur is not outstanding, as if not combed and untidy. By pigmentation, these individuals are reddish, dark gray, brown-brown. However, black gloss is considered a classic. The muzzle is gray, as is the nose. In the chest there is a bright blotch, like a tick.
4. The peculiarities of distribution include the fact that the animals in question often live in the tropics or subtropical climatic zones. These include Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, the Himalayas, Bangladesh, Nepal, etc. Otherwise, representatives of the bear family are called Himalayan lips. Regardless of the fact that the individual chooses to live, she just settled in the mountains. Bears prefer to hide, so they are almost impossible to find. However, the animals do not climb to the very top.

Habitat and features

1. Considering the characteristics of these animals, it is impossible not to touch where they prefer to live, and what way of life they are characterized. It is also worth mentioning that this species of animals has an exceptionally developed sense of smell, all other sensitive organs practically do not work.
2. Individuals are disgusting to see and just as bad to hear. They can not even understand when someone is approaching, and do not always see a person nearby. But the fact that the bear does not hear, does not mean at all that he does not feel the smell of a stranger. Because of this, the concern of the Gubachch rises; they are more likely to attack people more often than other bears.
3. If, after all, “lucky enough” to meet with this bear, most likely this event will occur in South Asia. It is precisely these places that are considered the birthplace of the representatives of the family under discussion. There are also individuals in India. They choose the Himalayan mountains for their habitat, love to live in places hidden from outsiders. Therefore, they are called Himalayan bears.
4. When an animal gets into the mountains, it immediately searches for cultivated land. Individuals destroy crops, partly because of this, farmers negatively relate to them and clutch at the gun. Bears are shot. However, in recent years it is forbidden to do this, since bears are ranked in the Red Book. There are no more than 20.000 individuals.
5. In the daytime you cannot meet the bears, but at night they prefer to stay awake for a long time. Then in the morning they return to a secluded place and sleep until another dark. As a rule, most of the population is located in subtropical and tropical climatic zones. There are exceptions, when a bear with newly appeared offspring decides to stay awake, not at night, but during the daytime.
6. In part, this decision is due to the desire to protect the cubs, at night there are many predators, and it is more convenient to get food in the light time. When the offspring reach a certain age, the whole family again returns to its former rhythm. This species can be found at an altitude in the range of 2.5-3 km. from sea level. It is comfortable for them to live at such a height.

Nutrition

1. These bears are famous for their unpretentiousness in terms of food, they absorb everything and are not very picky. With great desire, individuals eat insects and their larvae, also consume plants, eggs of birds, snails, carrion. It is not mistaken to believe that these bears love honey. Bee products for them is a real treat. Partly because of this bears are called honey.
2. In the summer, they lean on fruit, they also consume berries. However, due to the availability of insects, animals feed on them. Farmers do not like gubachy, because they destroy sugar cane and corn fields. Bears do not fear people at all, driving on their possessions. The animals climb the trees perfectly, demolish bird nests.
3. A characteristic feature of such bears is an unusually elongated muzzle and the ability to fold their lips into a tube. Thanks to this, an animal can easily get food in the form of colonial insects. In such an individual, the nostrils are closed arbitrarily so that the biting insects do not harm the mucous membrane.
4. The bear has very small teeth. Moreover, a characteristic feature of this individual is that two central incisors are absent from above. Due to this, the passage from the lips stretched forward by the tubule continues.
5. The animal has a very long tongue and hollow palate. This form was formed during the evolution of the individual. Due to the unusual features of the bear is able to get food in the most inaccessible places.
6. When an animal tries to reach its prey, it initially begins to force out all the dust and dirt from the nest. After that, the bear easily gets to the insects that are hiding in the narrowest slits. At the expense of his "tubule" he sucks prey with force.
7. If you manage to watch this, you will see that the whole process is accompanied by a rather loud noise. In some cases, sounds can be heard at a distance of 150 m.Therefore, you will have no doubt that somewhere in the vicinity there is a gouge bear eating. In the same way, hunters find an animal.

Breeding

1. As for life expectancy, in the wild, individuals can live up to 40 years. In captivity, such animals live 10 years longer. However, with reproduction, things are much worse. In the wild, such problems are not observed. Bears reproduce juveniles 1 time in 3 years.
2. The marriage period often falls in the middle of spring. As soon as it is time to give birth, bears try to find a secluded place and retire. Often it can den and caves, which are covered with stones. Most often, a female may have 2 babies, less often 3.
3. It is worth noting that the offspring is born absolutely deaf and blind. The first couple of months, the cubs are in the den under the care of the mother. After that, the female gradually begins to carry them to the air on her back. By this time, the cubs are hearing a little and their eyes are cutting.
4. Juveniles stay with their mother until they reach puberty. Often it comes on the 3rd year of life.After that, the female begins to prepare for the next mating season and childbirth, respectively. If conditions allow, then soon a new offspring will appear.
5. In some cases, females miss 1 year to fully recover and gain the lost mass. It is interesting that babies are born with a weight of only 0.4 kg. At first they are very vulnerable. Milk bears eat up to 2 years. However, on the other hand, the diet is varied from 4 months of age.
6. Just at this age, kids develop a playful mood. In addition, during the games, bears do not think about the surrounding danger. They simply do not follow this. All responsibility falls on the bear. Mother monitors potential danger and approaching predators. Natural enemies are big cats.

Behavior

1. The represented individuals prefer to be nocturnal. In the daytime, they sleep in dense bushes or caves. The exception is females with offspring.
2. Only they temporarily switch to daytime life. This allows not to encounter night predators.Considered bears are active throughout the year, they do not hibernate.

Gubach bears are rather interesting individuals from all relatives. They do not hibernate, are nocturnal and become inactive during the rainy season. In addition, such animals in most cases prefer to eat insects. The offspring live with their mother until puberty.

Video: Gubach bear (Melursus ursinus)