Brown Bear

These guys are big! A fully grown adult can grow up to 9 ft and scare the hell out of you. They are cute and all but don't make the mistake of comparing them with those cuddly teddy bears. The Himalayan Brown Bear generally has a reddish brown color but vary individually and seasonally from dark to light. They have a distinct hump on their back which is caused by muscles and usually have a highly variable white, cream or buffy collar across the shoulder. They are omnivorous and feed on grasses, forbs, berries, roots, insects and other small mammals as well. Given the size of these beasts, their diet is indeed surprising. Adult bears are powerful and top of the chain predators and yet they feed on berries! Their diet varies enormously throughout their differing ranges and they primarily feed during evenings. Occasionally, Brown Bears develop a habit of killing goats and sheep which seems to be true in the case of Upper Mustang. Just like many other bears, these brown bears hibernate too. They start their hibernation from early October until end of April or early May. They usually hibernate in a den or cave. Brown bears dig dens for winter hibernation, often in a suitable hillside. The females remain inside the den while pregnant and usually give birth during the winter rest. Despite their enormous size, brown bears are extremely fast and agile, having been clocked at speeds of 30 miles per hour (48 kilometers per hour). They can be dangerous to humans as well particularly if surprised or if a person gets between a mother bear and her cubs. Why would anyone come in between a big bear and her cub?