The bear is a large and strong mammal that lives in areas with little human presence, generally in remote mountains. It is an omnivorous and plantigrade animal, with thick hair, strong teeth and claws that are used to climb trees or hunt prey.
At present, there are several species of bear and almost all of them are in danger of extinction (especially the giant panda, the grizzly, the polar bear or the brown bear).
The hibernation process
Among its various characteristics, there is one that stands out above the rest: hibernation. It is a phenomenon associated with the climatic conditions of winter and consists of the drastic reduction of vital signs (heart rate and body temperature) to maintain a state of lethargy during the long and cold winters. Before hibernation, bears consume large amounts of food and thus prepare their bodies to reduce their energy consumption as much as possible.
The bear in the lives of men
The bear is an animal of great fierceness, something that has been reflected in all kinds of testimonies (the fight of some men or characters with these animals is famous, as reflected in the novel "Miguel Strogoff" by Jules Verne). Despite this, the bear is an animal that arouses sympathy because it has a friendly and sympathetic appearance. Proof of this is the teddy bear, possibly the most international teddy bear among children's audiences.
In the circus world, the bear continues to be one of the most valued attractions. However, groups in favor of animals are trying to make this practice disappear. Something similar happens in the world of hunting, since traditionally the bear has been a highly valued piece and this has caused its presence to decrease notably (as happened in Romania with the hunting interests of the dictator Nicolae Ceaucescu).
The figure of the bear among the children
The bear as a character is part of a long tradition: in fables (one of the best known is that of the three bears) or a whole series of animation characters (Baloo, Bubu, Misha, the Yogi bear, among many others) . It has also been used as an icon, as in the state of California, as a symbol of the city of Madrid or as a mascot for the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.
The strength of the bear is reflected in some expressions. There is a very curious one (the bear hug), which expresses a sui generis circumstance: when someone shows you affection but is actually betraying you (he thought they were supporting him although it was actually the bear hug).
