Types of Bears

Different Types of Bears – Species

There are eight species of bears that remain on Earth today. While they are all similar in basic ways, there are enough differences for them to each have their own category as well as name. 

• Bear Species Overview
  There are eight species of bears living today.
• Brown Bear
  The Brown Bear is often mistaken for a Grizzly Bear due to the resemblance in their physical appearance.
• Grizzly Bear
  When you think of bears in general, it may be the well known Grizzly Bear that you have a vision of.
• Kodiak Bear
  The size of the Kodiak Bear has given it a reputation in the wild a being a force to reckon with.
• American Black Bear
  The American Black Bear is one that most people have heard of and seen pictures of. Don’t let the name throw you off though as they can also be brown when it comes to their coloring.
• Asian Black Bear
  The Asian Black Bear is all black except for a white crescent shaped area in the chest region. The fur around the neck is very thick and often gives the appearance of a mane.
• Sloth Bear
  The Sloth Bear is named due to the way it looks like a Sloth, but it has more in common with bears than this other type of animal.
• Spectacled Bear
  The Spectacled Bear no doubt has an interesting name. Yet when you look at one you will definitely see where that name comes from.
• Sun Bear
  The smallest bear in the world is known as the Sun Bear. A full grown male may tip the scales at barely 100 pounds.
• Panda Bear
  The Panda Bear certainly is very different in appearance than the other species of bears. It features both black and white on the body.
• Extinct Bear Species
  Unfortunately, there are already several extinct bear species that we know of. Extinct means that there aren’t any more of them out there in the world anywhere.