🐻 Bears!

What you’ll learn

1. The Eight Kinds of BearsMeet all eight kinds of bears and learn how each is shaped by where it lives and what it eats.Eight kinds of bears live around the world, from the tiny honey-loving sun bear to the huge Arctic polar bear. In between are brown, black, panda, sloth, spectacled, and moon bears. Each bear is built for its own home, whether a steamy jungle, a bamboo forest, or the frozen ice.
2. The Real Story of HibernationUnderstand what really happens during hibernation, why bears eat so much first, and how cubs are born in the den.In winter, many bears hibernate in cozy dens, slowing their heartbeats and living off stored fat for months without eating. To prepare, they feast all fall. Amazingly, mother bears give birth to tiny cubs right in the middle of hibernation and care for them until they all wake up hungry in spring.
3. A Bear's Super SmellLearn that a bear's sense of smell is one of the best in the animal kingdom and how bears use it to survive.A bear's greatest superpower is its incredible sense of smell, one of the strongest of any animal, even better than a dog's. Bears can smell food from many miles away and follow scents for a long way. They read the world through smell, using it to find food, cubs, and other bears.
4. Salmon Season and Berry SeasonDiscover what bears actually eat across the seasons, and learn that most bears eat more plants than meat.Bears follow a food calendar through the year, feasting on salmon at rivers and berries in summer. Surprisingly, most bears eat more plants than meat and are omnivores, though polar bears eat mostly meat. By spreading seeds and feeding the soil, bears even help forests grow.
5. Bear Moms and CubsLearn how mother bears raise and teach their cubs, and how cubs learn by watching and playing.Mother bears are devoted moms who raise one to three cubs on their own, feeding, warming, and fiercely protecting them for a year or two. Tiny newborn cubs grow fast on rich milk. Cubs learn survival skills by watching their mother and by playing, until they are ready to live alone.
6. Being Bear AwareLearn how to safely share the wild with bears and what to do if you ever see one.The best way to enjoy bears is from a safe distance. Never feed bears or leave food out, keep a clean campsite, and make friendly noise on the trail so bears can wander off. If you see a bear, stay calm, keep your distance, and stay with a grown-up. Respecting bears keeps everyone safe.

Questions this course answers

Grounded in trusted sources

• National Geographic
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
• Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
• San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Every Wunder lesson is built from real, reputable sources — never invented.

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