Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Cryptids and Mythological creatures were real? What would that be like? How would they affect the environment? How would they be classified? Find out in this encyclopedia that mysteriously appeared fro...
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Animal Class: Mammal
Diet: Omnivorous
Currently the smallest known species of Bear, Hog Bears are roughly the size of the average Badger.
They got their name not only for their Boar-like tusks, but also because they were mistaken for Wild Boars by European explorers. Some even though that they were hybrids between Bears and Boars.
Hog Bears can be found throughout the Pacific Northwest of North America and live alongside their American Black Bear and Grizzly Bear cousins.
Hog Bears are capable of taking down prey much larger than themselves like Bison and Elk and they do so by slicing at them with their tusks.
Not only do Hog Bears have their extremely sharp tusks, they also have a special salivia that causes paralysis. They usually run to up their prey, bite them on the legs, and wait for the paralysis to kick in before finishing off with their tusks/teeth/claws.
Unlike their larger cousins, Hog Bears are very bad at swimming and tend to avoid deep, fast moving water.
They tend to go into hibernation around the end of October, much earlier than other Bears.
Hog Bear tusks are a lot stronger than they would appear to be at first glance and are capable of cutting deep into rocks.
Rather than live in caves, Hog Bears dig burrows and live in them.
Hog Bears have multiple mates throughout their life and can have up to 8 cubs at a time.
Extra Fun Fact: Because of their small size and aggressive temper, Hog Bears are often referred to as " the Honey Badger of Bears"
