Syrian Brown Bear

In the early part of the twentieth century, the Syrian brown bear (Ursus arctos syriacus) disappeared from the landscape of the Land of Israel. In the distant past, bears were quite common in this country, and the Biblical literature suggests that once upon a time, the human inhabitants of the region would frequently encounter these beasts. The bears in the zoo are among the last survivors of this subspecies, which is now thought to be extinct in the wild. Incidentally, these bears are generally regarded today as members of the same species as the Grizzlies.

The family of bears in our exhibit is relatively large, very active, and quite irrepressible. At times you can meet the keepers at this exhibit, and hear interesting stories about the individual bears. On any day, you can see them frolic in the water, and see unmistakable evidence of their keen intelligence.

http://www.jerusalemzoo.org.il/english/upload/tour/bear.html