Marsican bear
| Marsican brown bear | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Ursidae |
| Genus: | Ursus |
| Species: | U. arctos |
| Subspecies: | U. a. marsicanus |
| Trinomial name | |
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Ursus arctos marsicanus Altobello, 1921 |
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The Marsican brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus) (Italian: orso bruno marsicano), also known as the Apennine brown bear, is a critically endangered subspecies of the brown bear, with a range restricted to the Abruzzo National Park, and the surrounding region in Italy. Debate exists as to whether should be considered a subspecies or a taxon of its own.
The Apennine brown bear population is small and isolated. The range of the bear is Italy's Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park, and in the peripheral locations: Sibillini National Park, Gran Sasso-Laga National Park, Majella National Park, Sirente-Velino Regional Park, and Simbruini Regional Park. The population range has significantly reduced over the past 200 years and the remaining population is under threat, particularly from the shift from local agriculture to development in Abruzzo, as well as poaching and poisoning. This has led to a current population size estimated at between 40 and 50 bears living in their respective range.
The male Marsican bears can weigh up to 200 kg (440 lb), with an upright height of 1.9 to 2 metres (6 ft 3 in to 6 ft 7 in), while females are typically smaller. The bears are usually very shy, and often only appear at night. Most of the bears are solitary and occupy their own territory, which can be up to 200 square kilometres (77 sq mi).
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Wikipedia