Survival Skills of Bears

[brotherbear]

In Pleistocene North America, the black bear replaced the Florida cave bear, a close relative of our modern Andean bear. I believe because the black bear was a tree-climber and probably had lots of other superior survival skills. Only bears of the genus Ursus are known to hibernate. It is uncertain whether or not any of the short-faced bears ever had this ability. Also, the black bear may have had a more varied diet.
It is believed by *some experts that the grizzly played a roll in the extinction of the giant short-faced bear. Simply by possessing superior survival skills, such as a more varied diet and hibernation, the grizzly may have displaced Artodus simus. Another unusual survival trait of the grizzly is his great size variation which depends upon environment and food availability. Few wild animals have such an extreme size variation within one species. It is not always the biggest and strongest who survives when two are in competition. 
 
I will edit and add to this, even though the grizzly is bigger and stronger than the black bear, between the two, if one were to go extinct - even leaving out the human equation - the black bear is more likely to be the one who survives. He has that one trick that the grizzly isn't good at - tree climbing. Reply