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Ursus spelaeus
Order Carnivora, Family Ursidae
Pleistocene (100,000 years before present)
Siberia, Russia
Omnivore
As their name suggests, cave bears preferred to inhabit caves. Cave bears have strong jaws and long canines. Their molars have low crowns and blunt cusps. This type of tooth structure is suited to chewing plant materials. Therefore, paleontologists believe that cave bears were herbivores, feeding on grasses, young leaves, and fruits. However, the limb bones of small animals have been found near the remains of cave bears. Therefore, some scholars believe they may have also hunted small animals.
2025/11/27 Updated