Of the eight bear species alive today, which are most closely related to the American black bear?The Family Ursidae is divided into several sub-family groups. The giant panda and the spectacled bear each belong to its own distinct sub-family, so they are the least closely related to the American black bear. The six remaining bears all belong to the Sub-Family Ursinae. Within the sub-family Ursinae, the sloth bear and the sun bear have their own distinct genera (or genus) so they too are slightly removed from the American black bear, though not as far removed as the panda and spectacled bears. The remaining four bears all belong to the genera (or genus) Ursus. So the brown bear, Asiatic black bear, and polar bear are all closely related to the American black bear. This diagram will illustrate the relationship of the various bear species:
Diet: Omnivore
Average lifespan in the wild: 20 years
Size: 5 to 6 ft (1.5 to 1.8 m) long
Weight: 200 to 600 lbs (90 to 270 kg)
Group name: Sleuth or Sloth
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