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Post by brobear on Nov 28, 2020 7:39:14 GMT -5
prehistoric-fauna.com/Atlas-bear Atlas bear (Ursus arctos crowtheri (Schinz, 1844)) African bear Order: Carnivora Family: Ursidae Dimensions: length - 2,3 - 2,7 m, height - 100-120 сm, weight - 180-450 kg Temporal range:The Atlas bear finally became extinct in the late 19th century; the last one recorded to be killed by hunters was in 1870 in the Tetouan Mountains in northern Morocco. The names Atlas bear and African bear have been applied to an extinct population or populations of the brown bear in North Africa. The Atlas bear was Africa's only native bear that survived into modern times. Once inhabiting the Atlas Mountains and neighbouring areas, from Morocco to Libya, the animal is now thought to be extinct. The Atlas bear was brownish black in colour and lacked a white mark on the muzzle. The fur on the underparts was reddish orange. The fur was 100–130 mm long. The muzzle and claws were shorter than those of the American black bear, though it was stouter and thicker in body. The Atlas bear was said to have been 2,7 m long and weighed up to 450 kg. It apparently fed on roots, acorns and nuts.The Atlas bear was said to have been mostly herbivorous, but since most bears today are omnivores, the Atlas bear is believed to have been able to eat meat as well. Where the Atlas bear actually originated from is unknown; one genetic study was unable to link it to any brown bear, but it had weak but significant mtDNA links to the polar bear. The Atlas bear's ecology is presumed to be similar to that of the other brown bears. Sympatric predators included the Barbary leopard and lion. The decline of the Atlas bear can be partly attributed to the Roman Empire; as the empire expanded into Northern Africa, the Romans intensely hunted and captured the Atlas bear and many other animals and used them as sport for many of their games. This went on for centuries, during which time thousands of bears were used in the arenas to fight against gladiators, lions, tigers and other animals. They were cruelly treated, often starved and malnourished to increase their desperation, and hence their aggression, within the arena. Thousands of these bears were also hunted for sport, venatio games, or execution of criminals ad bestias. The Atlas bear became extinct shortly after modern firearms were developed. Over-hunting may have contributed to their decline. Pressure from zoo collectors sealed their fate, with the animals being taken away from one another and unable to reproduce and flourish. The Atlas bear finally became extinct in the late 19th century; the last one recorded to be killed by hunters was in 1870 in the Tetouan Mountains in northern Morocco. Human activity can definitely be said to have played a large role in pushing the extinction of the Atlas bear.
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Post by brobear on Nov 28, 2020 7:44:03 GMT -5
The Atlas bear was said to have been 2,7 m long and weighed up to 450 kg. 2.7m = 8 feet 10 inches long. 450kg = 902 pounds.
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Post by brobear on Nov 28, 2020 8:06:40 GMT -5
We have nothing on record as to the interspecific relations between the Barbary lion and the Atlas bear. illustration of a Barbary lion by Joseph Bassett Holder, 1898
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Post by King Kodiak on Nov 28, 2020 8:10:18 GMT -5
This is true, nothing at all from the wild. But we do have Pastoureau's book though.
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Post by brobear on Dec 19, 2020 13:03:06 GMT -5
Syrian brown bear distribution: The Syrian brown bear is probably ( IMO ) the most likely bear to be closely related to the Atlas bear of N. Africa.
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Post by brobear on Dec 19, 2020 13:10:37 GMT -5
Atlas Mountains of North Africa:
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Post by brobear on Jan 14, 2021 7:43:47 GMT -5
inference-review.com/article/among-the-fossils-of-algeria Arambourg’s first observations of mammals were made in 1927, when he began exploring a subrange of the Djurdjura Mountains in the Kabylie region of northern Algeria. He discovered a Pleistocene deposit that yielded the bones of a horned sheep (Ammotragus lervia) and the remains of a bear similar to the European brown bear (Ursus arctos). Studies of these discoveries were later published in the Bulletin de la Société d’histoire naturelle de l’Afrique du nord. These studies are significant because they contain the first notable differences in interpretation between Arambourg and his predecessor, Pomel.11 For the first time it was a paleontological perspective that provided an interpretation for the processions of mammalian fauna found in North Africa during the Quaternary period. Reply #56: those skulls definitely look like brown bear skulls.
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Post by brobear on Oct 18, 2021 3:14:25 GMT -5
www.bearconservation.org.uk/atlas-bear-extinct/ Scientific name: Ursus arctos crowtheri (Heinrich Rudolf Schinz, 1844) Description: Small for a brown bear and of a similar length to a black bear but with a more stocky build, probably weighing up to around 450 kg.( 992 pounds ). Fur was brown-black except for the underparts which were a distinctive reddish brown. Claws and muzzle were relatively small and the muzzle lacked any white markings. Range: The Atlas bear was found in and around the region of the Atlas Mountains of North Africa from present-day Morocco to Libya, and was the only African bear subspecies to survive into the historic era. In prehistoric times the range was probably much greater throughout northern and eastern Africa. Habitat: Mainly forested mountain regions. Life span: Presumed to have been in the region of 25 years in the wild. Food: Acorns, nuts, roots, small mammals and carrion. Behaviour: Little is known about the Atlas bear and its lifecycle. Reasons for extinction: Thousands of these bears were hunted for sport from the time of the Roman Empire in Africa (starting 146 BCE) onwards. The last known specimen was probably killed by hunters in the 1870s in the Tétouan Mountains in the far north of the Rif mountains of Morocco.
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Post by brobear on Oct 18, 2021 3:28:02 GMT -5
www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/u/ursus-arctos-crowtheri-atlas-bear.html As with far too many animals the Atlas bear seems to have gone extinct entirely from human contact, especially from such activities as trapping and hunting. The atlas bear was known to the Romans, who according to historical reports, captured large numbers of these bears to fight in gladiatorial arenas, either against professional hunters, or pitted against criminals that were punished by being thrown to wild animals.
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Post by brobear on Oct 23, 2021 12:48:12 GMT -5
I find this interesting: The Scottish Highlands and the Appalachians are the same mountain range, once connected as the Central Pangean Mountains. Remnants of this massive mountain range include the Appalachian Mountains of North America, the Little Atlas of Morocco, Africa, Ireland, much of the Scottish Highlands and part of Scandinavia.These are the oldest mountains in the world.
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Post by OldGreenGrolar on Oct 23, 2021 22:03:37 GMT -5
Interesting. The Atlas bears were actually brought into polar bear territory (Greenland and Northern Scandinavia).
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Post by brobear on Oct 24, 2021 2:04:43 GMT -5
Interesting. The Atlas bears were actually brought into polar bear territory (Greenland and Northern Scandinavia). No, the Atlas bear lived only in North Africa. The map shows how this one mountain range has, over an unfathomable number of years, has been separated by plate tectonics.
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Post by brobear on Apr 21, 2022 3:14:07 GMT -5
Atlas bear dinopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Atlas_bear The Atlas bear (Ursus arctos crowtheri) is an extinct subspecies of Cantabrian brown bear in Africa. The Cantabrian brown bear likely was introduced to Africa from Spain by the Romans who imported the bears for spectacles. Range and description The Atlas bear was Africa's only native bear that survived into modern times. Once inhabiting the Atlas Mountains and neighbouring areas, from Morocco to Libya, the animal is now thought to be extinct. The Atlas bear was brownish black in colour and lacked a white mark on the muzzle. The fur on the underparts was reddish orange. The fur was 4–5 inches (102–127 mm) long. The muzzle and claws were shorter than those of the American black bear, though it was stouter and thicker in body. The Atlas bear was said to have been 9 feet (2.7 m) long and weighed up to 1,000 pounds (450 kg). It apparently fed on roots, acorns and nuts. The Atlas bear was said to have been mostly herbivorous, but since most bears today are omnivores, the Atlas bear is believed to have been able to eat meat as well. Origin Where the Atlas bear actually originated from is unknown; one genetic study was unable to link it to any brown bear, but it had weak but significant mtDNA links to the polar bear. Polar bears appear in Paleolithic cave paintings in Andalucia Spain, which is a very short swim to the Atlas Mountains for a polar bear. Range and Description The Atlas bear was Africa's only native bear that survived into modern times. Once inhabiting the Atlas Mountains and neighbouring areas, from Morocco to Libya, the animal is now thought to be extinct. The Atlas bear was brownish black in colour, and lacked a white mark on the muzzle. The fur on the underparts was reddish orange. The fur was 4–5 inches (100–130 mm) long. The muzzle and claws were shorter than those of the American black bear, though it was stouter and thicker in body. The Atlas bear was said to have been 9 feet long and weighed up to 1,000 pounds (450 kg). It apparently fed on roots, acorns and nuts. The Atlas bear was said to have been mostly herbivorous, but since most bears today are omnivores, the Atlas bear is believed to have been able to eat meat as well. Ecology The Atlas bear's ecology is presumed to be similar to that of the other brown bears. Nothing however has been described about it. Extinction The decline of the Atlas bear can be partly attributed to the Roman Empire; as the empire expanded into Northern Africa, the Romans intensely hunted and captured the Atlas bear and many other animals and used them as sport for many of their games. This went on for centuries, during which time thousands of bears were used in the arenas to fight against gladiators, lions, tigers and other animals. They were cruelly treated, often starved and malnourished to increase their desperation and hence their aggression within the arena. Thousands of these bears were also hunted for sport, venatio games, or execution of criminals ad bestias. The Atlas bear became extinct shortly after modern firearms were developed. Over-hunting may have contributed to their decline. Pressure from zoo collectors sealed their fate, with the animals being taken away from one another and unable to reproduce and flourish. The Atlas bear finally became extinct in the late 19th century; the last one recorded to be killed by hunters was in 1870 in the Tetouan Mountains in northern Morocco. Human activity can definitely be said to have played a large role in pushing the extinction of the Atlas bear.
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Post by brobear on Apr 21, 2022 3:33:29 GMT -5
About Reply #72 Quote: Origin - Where the Atlas bear actually originated from is unknown; one genetic study was unable to link it to any brown bear, but it had weak but significant mtDNA links to the polar bear. Polar bears appear in Paleolithic cave paintings in Andalucia Spain, which is a very short swim to the Atlas Mountains for a polar bear. Quote: The Atlas bear (Ursus arctos crowtheri) is an extinct subspecies of Cantabrian brown bear in Africa. The Cantabrian brown bear likely was introduced to Africa from Spain by the Romans who imported the bears for spectacles. *Note: So, is it a European brown bear or a polar bear? Quote: The Atlas bear was said to have been 9 feet (2.7 m) long and weighed up to 1,000 pounds (450 kg). *Note: It would be helpful to know who, when, and how an Atlas bear was measured and weighed.
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Post by brobear on Apr 21, 2022 3:39:43 GMT -5
Atlas Bear www.extinctanimals.org/atlas-bear.htm The Atlas bear inhabited the Atlas Mountain region, from Morocco to Libya, and its neighboring areas. The origin of Atlas bear is not known. A genetic study of this subspecies could not determine any possible link to any brown bear. But it had a frail but significant mitochondrial DNA link to the Polar bear. In 1844, Atlas Bear was classified as Ursus arctos subspecies by Heinrich Rudolf Schinz, a Swiss naturalist. However, at times, it is listed as a distinct species Ursus crowtheri. The Atlas bear was not artful in tree-climbing. Some believe that they were herbivorous. The Atlas bear was Africa’s only native bear that survived into modern times.
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Post by brobear on Apr 21, 2022 3:48:24 GMT -5
Ursus arctos crowtheri a.k.a. Atlas bear, Atlas brown bear www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/u/ursus-arctos-crowtheri-atlas-bear.html Size: No larger than a black bear, which are known to range from 120-200 centimetres long, 10-105 centimetres high at the shoulder. 3 feet 11 inches to 6 feet 7 inches long and 3 feet 3 inches to 3 feet 5 inches high at the shoulders. *Note: those sites claiming 9 feet long and 1,000 pounds are merely posting the upper normal size range of brown bears in general. It just takes one site to post something like this and then other sites copy. The measurements above are American black bear measurements. Evidently, no one bothered to actually measure and weigh an Atlas bear before they went extinct.
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Post by brobear on Jan 24, 2023 1:13:27 GMT -5
When I read about the Atlas Mountains, I am convinced that this "barren-ground" brown bear can be listed among the smaller brown bears. Atlas Mountains en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_Mountains The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range in the Maghreb in North Africa. It separates the Sahara Desert from the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean; the name "Atlantic" is derived from the mountain range. It stretches around 2,500 km (1,600 mi) through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The range's highest peak is Toubkal, which is in central Morocco, with an elevation of 4,167 metres (13,671 ft). The Atlas mountains are primarily inhabited by Berber populations. The terms for 'mountain' are Adrar and adras in some Berber languages, and these terms are believed to be cognates of the toponym Atlas. The mountains are also home to a number of animals and plants which are mostly found within Africa but some of which can be found in Europe. Many of these species are endangered and a few are already extinct. The weather is cooling but has sunny summers, and the average temperature there is 25°C. Geology The basement rock of most of Africa was formed during the Precambrian supereon and is much older than the Atlas Mountains lying on the continent. The Atlas was formed during three subsequent phases of Earth's geology. The first tectonic deformation phase involves only the Anti-Atlas, which was formed in the Paleozoic Era (~300 million years ago) as the result of continental collisions. North America, Europe and Africa were connected millions of years ago. The tectonic boundary The Anti-Atlas Mountains are believed to have originally been formed as part of Alleghenian orogeny. These mountains were formed when Africa and America collided and were once a chain rivaling today's Himalayas. Today, the remains of this chain can be seen in the Fall Line region in the Eastern United States. Some remnants can also be found in the later formed Appalachians in North America. A second phase took place during the Mesozoic Era (before ~66 My). It consisted of a widespread extension of the Earth's crust that rifted and separated the continents mentioned above. This extension was responsible for the formation of many thick intracontinental sedimentary basins including the present Atlas. Most of the rocks forming the surface of the present High Atlas were deposited under the ocean at that time. Finally, in the Paleogene and Neogene Periods (~66 million to ~1.8 million years ago), the mountain chains that today constitute the Atlas were uplifted, as the land masses of Europe and Africa collided at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula. Such convergent tectonic boundaries occur where two plates slide towards each other forming a subduction zone (if one plate moves underneath the other), and/or a continental collision (when the two plates contain continental crust). In the case of the Africa-Europe collision, it is clear that tectonic convergence is partially responsible for the formation of the High Atlas, as well as for the closure of the Strait of Gibraltar and the formation of the Alps and the Pyrenees. However, there is a lack of evidence for the nature of the subduction in the Atlas region, or for the thickening of the Earth's crust generally associated with continental collisions. In fact, one of the most striking features of the Atlas to geologists is the relative small amount of crustal thickening and tectonic shortening despite the important altitude of the mountain range. Recent studies suggest that deep processes rooted in the Earth's mantle may have contributed to the uplift of the High and Middle Atlas.
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Post by brobear on Jan 24, 2023 1:15:58 GMT -5
Natural resources The Atlas are rich in natural resources. There are deposits of iron ore, lead ore, copper, silver, mercury, rock salt, phosphate, marble, anthracite coal and natural gas among other resources.
Subranges
Satellite photograph of the High Atlas and Anti-Atlas Mountains. North is at the bottom; the city of Goulmima can be seen at center left. The range can be divided into four general regions:
Anti-Atlas, High Atlas and Middle Atlas (Morocco) Tell Atlas (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) Aurès Mountains (Algeria, Tunisia) Saharan Atlas (Algeria)
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Post by brobear on Jan 24, 2023 1:16:57 GMT -5
Anti-Atlas The Anti-Atlas extends from the Atlantic Ocean in , the southwest of Morocco toward the northeast to the heights of Ouarzazate and further east to the city of Tafilalt (altogether a distance of approximately 500 kilometres or 300 miles). In the south it borders the Sahara. The easternmost point of the anti-Atlas is the Jbel Saghro range and its northern boundary is flanked by sections of the High Atlas range. It includes the Djebel Siroua, a massif of volcanic origin with the highest summit of the range at 3,304 m. The Jebel Bani is a much lower range running along the southern side of the Anti Atlas.
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Post by brobear on Jan 24, 2023 1:17:37 GMT -5
High Atlas The High Atlas in central Morocco rises in the west at the Atlantic coast and stretches in an eastern direction to the Moroccan-Algerian border. It has several peaks over 4,000 m (13,000 ft), including the highest summit in North Africa, Toubkal (4,167 m or 13,671 ft), and further east Ighil m'Goun (4,071 m or 13,356 ft), the second major summit of the range. At the Atlantic and to the southwest, the range drops abruptly and makes a transition to the coast and the Anti-Atlas range. To the north, in the direction of Marrakesh, the range descends less abruptly. On the heights of Ouarzazate the massif is cut through by the Draa Valley which opens southward. It is mainly inhabited by Berber people, who live in small villages and cultivate the high plains of the Ourika Valley. Near Barrage Cavagnac[7] there is a hydroelectric dam that has created the artificial lake Lalla Takerkoust. The lake serves also as a source for fish for the local fishermen.
The largest villages and towns of the area are Ouarzazate, Tahannaout, Amizmiz, Imlil, Tin Mal and Ijoukak.
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