Who is the "King" of the bears?

[brotherbear]

(10-26-2016, 08:46 PM)Polar Wrote:

(10-26-2016, 07:32 PM)Pckts Wrote: In regards to the "prey category" I'd have to say the polar bear. Even if we were to compare prey of each species of bear, non solely survive off meat/blubber like the polar. This forces polar bears to tangle with prey much more often, add that to the fact that they must search endlessly through the harshest terrain imaginable to find the prey. They can't afford to be choosy and that probably means taking much more risk.

Agreed, both the polar bear and Agriotherium would be regarded as my two picks.

In relation to section II of the introduction, Agriotherium simply was not only a scavenger, but was also a big game hunter of the gigantic, ancient proboscideans (Deinotherium), and at the same time, competed with carnivore-like creatures such as Megistotherium. That is a big feat in itself.

I think Ursus Arctos (in Carnivora) once showed a document that proved Agriotherium had the largest jaw stress capacity out of any other ursid (possibly equal to Giant Panda). Does any one have this by any chance?


Polar bears also hunt the toughest prey on this planet which includes large bull walruses (which can take hours to kill) and, on very rare occasion, small whales.

In relation to section I, both are the two largest bears on average, with the exception of Arctotherium. However, these bears manage to keep a normal "bear" structure (robust) while that of the Arctotherium resembles more of a "camel".

I also read from some long ago forgotten source that the 'Tyrant Sea Bear' was a hunter of woolly mammoths. I personally reject the idea of any bear species hunting and killing pachyderms. Bears are simply not built for hunting prey animals of such proportions. Unlike the big cats, a bear cannot leap upon his prey and cling to it with 'Velcro paws'. When a bear fights a herbivore, it is a very basic wrestling match of brute strength vs brute strength. In the ancient Roman arena, a European grizzly was once pitted against a rhinoceros. It was not a fight, but simply a killing. The rhino plowed through the bear like a freight train over a dog. Reply