Bears: Ursidae

Bears have big heads, round ears, small eyes that face forward, very short tails, and stocky legs. They are plantigrade, walking on the heels and soles of their feet like humans do. Each paw has five curved claws that are not retractable, or cannot be pulled back.

Bears come in many colors, from the familiar black, brown, and white to blonde, cinnamon, and blue-gray. Some have a yellow, orange, or white chest marking in the form of a patch, a letter V or U, or a short horizontal line. Spectacled bears are called "spectacled" because of the light markings around their eyes. Among Malayan sun bears, the smallest species, males are 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters) long and weigh between 60 and 150 pounds (27 and 70 kilograms). In comparison, male polar bears on average are 8 to 9 feet (2.4 to 2.7 meters) long and weigh 900 to 1,300 pounds (400 to 590 kilograms). Females, or sows, of all species are usually smaller than males, or boars.