Ice Age Cave Bear Axis Vertebrae
Age: 35,000 - 25,000 Years Old
Pleistocene Epoch
Species: Ursus Spelaeus
Specimen: Axis Vertebrae (2nd Cervical)
Discovered: Romania, Carpath Mountains
Stand & Info Card Included
 
Ursus spelaeus, also known as the cave bear, was a species of bear that lived in Europe during the Pleistocene era. It is believed to have become extinct around 24,000 years ago. The cave bear was one of the largest bear species, with males reaching up to 3.5 meters in length and weighing over a ton. The species was named for its habit of hibernating in caves during the winter months.
 
The cave bear was well adapted to the cold and harsh climate of the Pleistocene era, with a thick coat of fur to keep warm and large claws for digging through snow and ice. Its diet consisted mainly of plants, including roots, fruits, and nuts, although it was also known to eat meat on occasion.
 
Despite its impressive size and strength, the cave bear was vulnerable to extinction due to several factors, including climate change and human hunting. As the climate warmed and forests replaced the open grasslands that the bears had adapted to, their food sources became scarcer. Meanwhile, humans began to encroach on the bears' territory, hunting them for meat and using their bones and fur for various purposes.