Cave bear

The cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) was an extinct Pleistocene bear of Europe and western Asia, notable for its frequent use of caves for hibernation.

Ursus spelaeus: The scientific species name for the extinct cave bear. This species is the animal named on the page.
Cave bear evolution: The evolutionary history of cave bears and their close relatives. Their lineage developed within the wider history of Eurasian bears.
Drachenhöhle: A cave in Austria known for abundant cave bear remains. Its deposits provide a classic example of repeated cave use by bears.
Brown bear: A living bear species distributed across Eurasia and North America. Brown bears share parts of the cave bear’s range but survived into the present.
Pleistocene: The geological epoch from about 2.58 million to 11,700 years ago. Cave bears lived during this epoch, across repeated glacial cycles.
Ursus deningeri: An extinct Middle Pleistocene bear commonly regarded as an ancestor or close predecessor of cave bears. Its fossils document an earlier stage in the cave bear lineage.
Potočka zijalka: A high-altitude cave in Slovenia containing Paleolithic artifacts and cave bear remains. Its archaeological layers bring cave bears into contact with human activity.
Polar bear: A living bear species adapted to Arctic marine environments. Its specialized meat-based ecology contrasts with evidence for cave bear herbivory.
Hibernation: A seasonal state of greatly reduced activity and metabolism in some animals. Cave bear remains accumulated in caves used for winter shelter.
Cave bear extinction: The disappearance of cave bears near the end of the Pleistocene. Its timing and causes remain central to understanding the species’ final history.

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