Bergman's bear

Bergman's bear A regular Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus). Category Giant bear Proposed scientific names Other names God bear Country reported Russia First reported 1936 Prominent investigators • Sten Bergman

Bergman's bear is a cryptid giant bear reported from Russia's southern Kamchatka Peninsula, usually regarded as a subspecies or population of brown bear (Ursus arctos). No first-hand sightings have been recorded since the 1920's, leading most cryptozoologists to regard it as likely extinct.

Description

Bergman's bear is said to be far larger than other bears, and to have short black fur, in contrast to the long brown fur of the Kamchatka brown bear. Sten Bergman estimated its weight to be anywhere between 499 and 1134 kg (1100 and 2500 lb), and the paw print he examined was just under 15'' long and 10'' wide.

Current status

As the latest clear records of giant bears from Kamchatka (excepting the irkuiem) date from the 1920's at the latest, many cryptozoologists assume Bergman's bear to have disappeared, and George Eberhart declares it "likely extinct". However, it is also rumoured that some individuals still exist in remote regions of Siberia which had been closed off during the Cold War.

Similar cryptids

Another giant bear reported from Kamchatka, the irkuiem, is also sometimes referred to as the "god bear". Although similar in size, the irkuiem has a number of features which clearly differentiate it from Bergman's bear.