Glacier Bear

Glacier Bear
General information
Universe	Real Life
Aliases	Blue Bear
Classification	Ursus americanus emmonsii
Species type	Black Bear
Homeworld	Earth
Environment	Alaska
Intelligence	Non-sapient
Biochemistry	Carbon-based lifeform
Biological information
Locomotion	Quadrupedal
Feeding behavior	Omnivorous
Prey	Meat: Pacific salmon, moose and deer Plants: Young shoots and roots, starchy roots of ground cones, blueberries, salmonberries, raspberries, and cranberries.
Lineage information
Ancestor(s)	American Black Bear
Subspecies	emmonsii
Cultural information
Alignment	Neutral
Organization	Solitary
Sociocultral characteristics
Scientific taxonomy
Planet	Earth
Domain	Eukaryota
Kingdom	Animalia
Subkingdom	Eumetazoa
Infrakingdom	Bilateria
Superphylum	Deuterostomia
Phylum	Chordata
Subphylum	Vertebrata
Infraphylum	Gnathostomata
Superclass	Tetrapoda
Class	Mammalia
Order	Carnivora
Family	Ursidae
Genus	Ursus
Species	americanus
Subspecies	emmonsii
Other information
Status	Data Deficient

The glacier bear (Ursus americanus emmonsii), sometimes referred to as the blue bear, is a subspecies of American black bear with silver-blue or gray hair endemic to Southeast Alaska. There is little scientific knowledge of their total extent and the cause of their unique coloration. Most of the other black bears in Southeast Alaska are listed under the subspecies Ursus americanus pugnax.

Unique features

The chief feature distinguishing the glacier bear from other black bears is its pelage (hair coloration), which ranges from silvery blue to gray. This variation can be seen on individual bears that are often lighter on their backs and shoulders, with their legs and belly being much darker or even black. Currently there is no evidence to determine if this coloration is the only physical characteristic that is unique to the glacier bear compared to other black bears.

Habitat

The glacier bear's habitat ranges from Prince William Sound to Glacier Bay in Southeast Alaska, with a few sightings as far east as Juneau, Alaska and the Taku River. This region includes Glacier Bay National Park and portions of Tongass National Forest, a temperate rainforest preserve.

Glacier bears share most of the characteristics of black bears such as their habitat preferences, food sources, size and reproductive cycles. They prefer forest with thick understory and landscapes with lots of vegetation, but can be found in urban populated areas. The glacier bear habitat is dependent upon food source availability, and they will move between forest, meadows, streams and mountains in search of food and shelter. Black bears in general are very capable climbers and can use trees as a place of protection and refuge. Glacier bears will move into their dens in early winter, which can be an overturned tree, a rock ledge or a cave.

Diet

Glacier bears, like all other black bears, are omnivores with their diets varying depending on the food source available during the season and the location. Their diet includes young shoots and roots in early spring. Like most Alaskan bears, during the summer months in Alaska, the glacier bear will eat the abundant Pacific salmon spawning in the streams. In some areas moose and deer are a food source for black bears. During the fall the bears will eat the starchy roots of ground cones and variety of berries found in Alaska such as blueberries, salmonberries, raspberries, and cranberries.

Reproduction

Breeding habits are much like any other black bear. The glacier bear will normally have their first litter by 3–5 years of age. This breeding period will take place in June through July. Gestation last 235 days and cubs will be born in January to early February. Because of the increasing range of all subspecies of black bear since the last glacier maximum, there is interbreeding taking place. For this reason it is possible to see a black-in-color bear give birth to a bear with the Glacier bear pelage and vice versa.