Russian Brown Bears

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Quote: Mountain Bears - The Soviet 'Yetis' ?

The Tien Shan and Pamir mountains are inhabited by the white-clawed race of the Brown Bear. In fact, only animals with really straw-coloured fur possess pale claws; the darker, grey-brown individuals grow normal horn-coloured ones. These Central Asian bears reach a good size, the male's body measuring about 1.5 m ( 5 ft ) long and weighing up to 200 kg ( 440 pounds ), although the females are smaller. During May, they emerge from their dens after their long winter's sleep, the females accompanied by their cubs, to feed on fresh grass, juicy wild rhubarb, Cow Parsnip and giant fennel, as well as on the remains of berries and fruit left over from the previous autumn.

As the weather improves and summer reaches the higher ridges, the bears climb to about 3,000 m ( 10,000 ft ) to graze on vegetation and dig out mice, voles, susliks and even the large marmots. Being big and muscular, they can heave up rocks and even turn over boulders in their quest for small mammals, molluscs and large insects. Even carrion is eagerly consumed. Stomping through the elevated snowfields, they often leave surprisingly human-like footprints which may be the source of local Yeti legends. The rear footprints of porcupines, too, can look remarkably like a human's. For this reason, some mountain people will eat neither animal. Reply