No Bears Live in Africa

Bears are not found in Africa, except the extinct Atlas bear. The African Atlas bear became extinct in the late 1800s due to hunting and habitat loss.

No bears are living on the African continent. 

The only bear species found in Africa was the Atlas bear, a subspecies of the brown bear that went extinct in the 1800s. The Atlas bear was native to the Atlas Mountains of North Africa, which includes parts of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. 

African Atlas Bear Drawing

It is believed that the Atlas bear evolved from a group of brown bears that migrated to Africa from Europe during the Pleistocene epoch, which lasted from about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. The Atlas bear was a large and powerful animal, with males weighing up to 350 kilograms or 770 pounds and females weighing up to 200 kilograms or 440 pounds.

The Atlas bear, a now-extinct species native to the Atlas Mountains in North Africa, was characterized by a shaggy brown coat that was lighter in color compared to other brown bear subspecies. One of its notable features was a distinct white patch on its chest. As a primarily herbivorous animal, the Atlas bear's diet mainly comprised a variety of plants such as acorns, fruits, nuts, and roots. While its primary food sources were plant-based, it is believed that the bear may have supplemented its diet with insects and small mammals on occasion.

The Atlas bear went extinct in the late 1800s due to hunting and habitat loss. The bear was hunted for its meat, fur, and body parts, which are used in traditional medicine. The bear's habitat was also destroyed as humans cleared forests for agriculture and development. 

The last known Atlas bear died in captivity in the Jardin des Plantes zoo in Paris in the 1870s. Today, a combination of historical records, scientific research, and genetic analysis has confirmed that the Atlas bear is extinct. 

There are no known living Atlas bears, and it has not been observed in the wild in over a century. The species is considered extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. The closest relatives to bears in Africa are not bears but oddly are the spotted hyena and aardvark.

The spotted hyena is a carnivorous mammal in Africa below the Sahara desert. The aardvark is a burrowing mammal with a long snout in Africa south of the Sahara. These two species are the closest living relatives to bears in Africa. The spotted hyena is a large and powerful carnivore, with females often more prominent than males. 

Spotted hyenas have a distinctive spotted coat and a powerful jaw capable of crushing bones. They are opportunistic hunters and scavengers, feeding on a variety of prey, from small mammals to large herbivores. 

The aardvark is a unique animal with a long, tubular snout and a specialized tongue for feeding on ants and termites. It is solitary and primarily active at night, spending its days in burrows. The aardvark is found in many habitats, including savannas, woodlands, and scrublands.  

African Atlas Bear Drawing

Bears are not found in Africa, except for the extinct Atlas bear. The African Atlas bear went extinct due to hunting and habitat loss.

Bears prefer habitats that provide ample food sources, including forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Bears are omnivores and eat a varied diet of plant matter, insects, fish, and small mammals. Forests are especially important for bears as they provide cover and protection from predators and a source of food in the form of nuts, fruits, and berries. 

Bears also require access to water sources, such as rivers and streams, for drinking and fishing. In coastal regions, bears may also feed on shellfish and other marine life. Some bear species have adapted to live in more arid areas, such as the sloth bear in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Sloth bears can survive in dry, rocky areas by feeding on termites and other insects found in trees and on the ground, but they are not found in Africa.