Studying the Structure and Function of Bears | Wild Alaska
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PBS Learning Media
Studying the Structure and Function of Bears | Wild Alaska
Brown bears are carnivores, with sharp teeth, pointy claws, and big muscles to help them shear through meat. Black bears, however, eat many kinds of food, and their anatomy reflects it. Comparative anatomist Dr. Joy Reidenberg and Alaska teacher Tracy Espeland team up in the first video to observe and compare some physical features of the black bear and brown bear skulls, teeth, and claws. In the second video, Dr. Reidenberg draws connections between these features and the varied diets and behaviors they support.