News: A survey of the Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh for mapping brown bear habitat found that the most high-quality habitat lies outside protected areas and overlaps with zones of rapid infrastructure expansion, underscoring the need for wildlife corridor protection.
About Himalayan Brown Bear
- The Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos) is a subspecies of the brown bear and represents one of the oldest bear lineages adapted to high-altitude environments.
- It is locally known as Lal Bhalu in many Himalayan regions.
- Habitat: They primarily inhabits alpine meadows, alpine scrublands, and glacial valleys.
- They are generally found at elevations ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 m above sea level.
- Distribution: They are found in northwestern and central Himalayas, including Pakistan, India, Nepal, the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China, and Bhutan.
- In India, they are found across the western Himalayan states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
- Physical Characteristics
- The Himalayan brown bear has light brown to sandy or reddish-brown fur that varies seasonally.
- Their coat becomes shorter during summer and significantly thicker and longer in winter to provide insulation.
- The species has a prominent shoulder hump, which is a defining characteristic of brown bears.
- They possess strong limbs and long, sharp claws that are used for digging roots, insects, and for defense.
- Adult males can weigh up to 550 kilograms, making it the largest terrestrial carnivore in the Himalayan region.
- Size: 150 to 280 cm.
- Diet: They are omnivorous and feeds on a wide variety of plant and animal matter.
- Their diet includes grasses, roots, berries, insects, small mammals, and occasionally wild ungulates.
- Behavior
- They are solitary species and generally avoids contact with humans.
- They are the least arboreal of all bear species and spends most of its time on the ground.
- They hibernate during the winter months in self-dug dens located on sheltered slopes.
- Ecological importance
- They play a crucial role as an apex predator and scavenger in alpine ecosystems, contributing to nutrient cycling through scavenging and foraging activities.
- They help to regulate herbivore populations and maintains ecological balance.
- Threats:
- Habitat degradation
- Increasing human–wildlife conflict
- Poaching and retaliatory killings
- Fragmentation
- Climate change is altering alpine ecosystems and affecting feeding and hibernation patterns.
- Conservation Status:
- IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
- Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972: Schedule I
- CITES: Appendix I
