Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Brown bears



"Brown bears are living in Croatia
of mostly forestry areas in Dinaric ranges - in Gorski kotar, Lika, or rather from Snjeznik and Risnjak across the Plitvice Lakes area to Velika Kapela, Mala Kapela, Pljesivica and Velebit. The estimated population counts about 400 samples which fits the capacity of the area. Bear is a rare species in Croatia today. Outside of protected area they are available for hunting. About 40 bears a year suffer from both hunting and other causes of death. Limited size of available living areas and large space necessary for every single bear are making impossible for bear population to grow further and that is what makes them to be rare species.
Bears are the biggest continental carnivotous animals. In Croatia, bear females have in average 100 kg, and bear males 150, but some of them could go over 300 kg. Although true carnivorous animals by their body construction, 95% of their needs for food are satisfied by vegetable food, a share of animal proteins is mostly taken from invertebrates and big animal carrion. Among vegetable food during spring and summer herbaceous plants and grasses are dominating, joined by some soft fruits in summer and beechmast is autumn as the main food for collecting of underskin fat for winter reserve."

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