Syrian Brown Bear
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[Photo] Syrian Brown Bear (Ursus arctos syriacus) at the Adelaide Zoo, October 2006. Photo by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Incandescent

The Syrian Brown Bear (Ursus arctos syriacus) is the smallest subspecies of Brown Bear.

They are omnivorous, eating almost any type of food, including meat, grass, and fruits.

Geographical Distribution
This subspecies occupies a large area in western Asia, but their population is declining due to habitat destruction, poaching, and fragmentation of population.

Syrian brown bears were historically found in Anatolia (Turkey), Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, Iran, and parts of Afghanistan. In the Caucasus, this species is replaced with common brown bear (Eurasian Brown Bear). In Pakistan and southern Afghanistan, Himalayan Brown Bear replaces this species. In southern and south-eastern Iran, it is replaced by Asian Black Bear.

In literature
It is suggested that this species of bear is the one God sent to maul the 42 youths that insulted Elisha in the Second Book of Kings of The Bible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Brown_Bear

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