Bear — Ursus arctos Z. (in Kyrgyz: аю)
In Kyrgyzstan, it is a typical inhabitant of the highlands. It ascends to 4000 m above sea level and higher. The following locations of bears are known to us: the Terke ridge, the Kungoy Ala-Too, Naryn, At-Bash, Kyrgyz, Talas, Chatkal, Fergana, Alai, and Zaalai ridges. Bears have been repeatedly observed throughout the mountain strip, from the Khan-Tengri peak in the east to the Fergana ridge in the west, including the Ak-Sai and Arpin valleys, as well as in the Alai valley. Bears are also found in the mountains surrounding Lake Son-Kul and the Susamyr valley.
Thus, bears are practically found almost throughout the territory of Kyrgyzstan, except for the valleys that have been converted for agriculture.
The main habitats of bears are the upper forest belt, subalpine and alpine zones, high mountain steppes, and nut-fruit forests. They are also found on the slopes of gorges, covered with both shrubs and tall grasses, as well as quite sparse vegetation. They prefer to stick to the rocks and can be seen at the foot of glaciers. However, depending on the season, there is a preference for certain areas over others. For example, in early July, many horseflies appear in the mountains, and bears move up to the rocks, where it is cooler and a cold wind constantly blows. Conversely, with the onset of cold weather, they descend to the alpine meadows and high mountain steppes. The movement of bears can also be explained by factors such as the availability of food or human pursuit. However, their constant favorite places remain the rocks and the upper forest belt.
Despite the wide distribution of this predator, it is quite rare due to its low numbers and extreme caution. The largest number of bears has been observed in the Ak-Sai and Alai valleys, in the upper reaches of the Naryn River (the Taragay, Karasai, Uzeigugush areas), as well as in the western part of the Chatkal valley.
During its active life, from the moment it comes out of hibernation until it goes back into it, the bear is constantly on the move, often visiting areas located at significant distances from each other.
The bear's activity cannot be attributed to any one station or type of forest; a combination of them is necessary. The mating season for bears occurs in June-July, during which fierce fights often occur when several males court a female, sometimes resulting in the death of one of the opponents. When there is only one male, the mating process is calm, indicated by roaring and bite marks on trees. At the end of December - early January, a female bear gives birth in her den. Thus, the gestation period can be determined as 6 months. The female bear usually gives birth to two, and sometimes more, blind cubs, whose weight, as is known, does not exceed 500 g. Subsequently, after the female bear leaves the den, the cubs grow quickly, weighing 2-2.6 kg at the age of 70-80 days. By autumn, their weight reaches 25-30 kg.
With the onset of cold weather, the bear looks for a place for its den, so it can often be found in the most secluded areas of rocks or in the forest. Usually, with the onset of snow, it goes into hibernation, the duration of which is determined by weather conditions and the state of the animal's body. In northern Kyrgyzstan and in high mountain areas, bears go into hibernation in November, while in the south, it is often in early December. In southern Kyrgyzstan, bear tracks have been observed in the snow in December. This report is not in doubt, as there are known cases of other bear species being active during winter.
Bears usually make their dens in rock crevices. One such den was discovered in the upper belt of the spruce forest, at the base of a rock, at an altitude of 2800 m above sea level, in the Altyn-Arashan area (Terskey Ala-Too).
The entrance to the den was covered with creeping juniper, currant bushes, and rose hips. At the bottom of the den, a thick layer of dry grass and stems of umbrella plants lay. The nest itself was located 3 m from the entrance, with a diameter of 1 m and an elliptical shape. Sometimes dens are found under stones, and less frequently under tree roots. Usually, one adult animal lies in the den. The bear emerges from its den in March with the onset of warm days, often during a period when the snow has not completely melted.
The bear is classified as an omnivorous animal. At different times of the year, it can feed on various foods. Thus, in spring, after coming out of hibernation, it eagerly visits anthills, eating their inhabitants. In one of the gorges of the Terskey Ala-Too, a bear dug up, or rather destroyed, about 10 anthills. It also feeds on marmots, which it quickly pulls out of their burrows.
In the Ak-Sai valley, eyewitnesses recount the bear hunting marmots. Having driven a marmot into a temporary burrow, it digs it out within 5-10 minutes, then extracts the marmot, sits down immediately, and begins to eat. However, upon hearing the approach of people, it grabs the uneaten remains and runs 2-2.5 km before finally finishing off the marmot.
The bear feeds on various grasses, especially alpine buckwheat, the remains of which make up the bulk of its feces. It often digs and eats the roots of various plants, excavates colonies of narrow-skulled voles, and eats them. There are known cases of bears hunting roe deer. By mid-summer, this animal more frequently appears within the nut-fruit forests of southern Kyrgyzstan, where it feeds on various berries and fruits of trees. By autumn, the dietary composition includes a significant proportion of walnuts, rowan berries, and hawthorn berries. In Chatkal, we have seen wild fruit trees with branches broken by bears.
As for the mountain strip, during the summer, the main food for bears, until they go into hibernation, consists of marmots and narrow-skulled voles. In the spruce belt with developed underbrush, they eat various berries (raspberries, blackberries, etc.). They can also feed on carrion. Bears are great gourmands; they love honey, which they obtain either from tree hollows or by raiding beehives, which has been repeatedly observed in the Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve and in the Issyk-Kul basin.
Molting in bears usually begins in March and continues until November. In July and August, we have observed bald patches on bears' skins that have not yet grown back with new fur. Depending on the habitat, there may be some discrepancies in the timing of the start and end of molting.
Bears have no enemies, except for humans. The economic significance of bears in Kyrgyzstan is small.
They satisfy their food needs at the expense of certain representatives of the wild fauna and flora. Cases of bears attacking livestock are extremely rare. Even rarer are bear attacks on humans.
Hunting bears is prohibited year-round.
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