Organized bear tours with an expert wildlife company are a great way to observe these magnificent animals in a safe and educational way. If you embark on a tour with a qualified wildlife guide, you may hear some unfamiliar terms, so before you set off, be sure to brush up on your bear vocabulary.
Adaptation – Adaptation is a biological process in which a species gradually adapts to its environment. Like most plants and animals, bears have adapted to their individual environments and have specialized features that help them make the most of their environment. The polar bear, for example, has evolved over thousands of years to adapt to its icy environment with broad paws, thick blubber, and white fur.
Habitat – During the bear tours, you are stepping into the bear’s habitat, its natural ecological and environmental home. For example, deciduous and coniferous forests are the habitat of the black bear, and the edges of the Arctic ice cap are the habitat of polar bears.
Disguise – On most bear tours, you’ll watch the animals from a blind spot (sometimes called a blind in North America). A hideout is a shelter used to observe wildlife up close. It is usually camouflaged to blend in with the environment of the observed animal. A blind is somewhat reminiscent of a garden shed, usually made of wood, with small openings or shutters built into the sides to allow viewing. Some blinds, especially those built for bird watching, are quite simple, perhaps just a wooden screen. Bear skins are much more resistant, and some even have bathrooms and beds inside for the night.
naturalist – Most bear tours will be led by a qualified naturalist, an expert in natural history fields such as zoology or botany. A naturalist will have spent many years studying plants and animals in the wild.
Tidy – A range is the geographic area normally inhabited by a species. For example, a grizzly bear’s range includes Alaska, southwestern Canada, and parts of the northwestern United States. A bear’s home range, on the other hand, is simply the area in which an individual animal lives, hunts, and mates during its lifetime. The size of an animal’s home range is influenced by available food, mates, the time of year, and the age and size of the animal.
Subspecies – You may be overwhelmed by the huge and diverse family of bears, but remember that there are only eight species of bears: black bear, brown bear, polar bear, Asiatic black bear, sloth bear, sun bear and the giant panda. All other bears, such as Grizzly Bear or Spirit Bear, are subspecies of an existing species.
Territory – Sometimes, some bears can show aggressiveness to defend their territory, an area of their habitat over which they intend to dominate. Territory may be defended for courtship and feeding rights or, in the case of females, for reproduction.
On bear tours, as on any wildlife tour, it helps to have a little knowledge ahead of time. With the correct facts and sentences, you can have a richer and more informative experience when observing these amazing animals.