Bears in Jerusalem? Yes, let’s talk about Bear Onah. This memorial tells a story of change. It highlights the dramatic shift in Israel’s animal life. Once, bears were common here. They even appear in the Bible.
The Syrian brown bear once roamed this land. The Bear Onah reminds us of that past. These bears are the smallest brown bear subspecies. They are also the southernmost. Their light coloring sets them apart. They move with surprising agility. They swim well and climb trees too.
Think about ancient shepherds here. They knew these bears all too well. Sometimes, bears attacked their sheep. Bears in Israel! It seems hard to believe now. But it’s true.
These Syrian brown bears could give a “bear hug”. Their shoulder blades let them climb. They could even walk on two legs for a short time.
Bears here had a lighter hibernation. It depended on the food and weather. Winter was also the time for cubs. Mothers gave birth in caves. Litters were small, only one to three cubs. They mated in the summer. After mating, males left. They did not help raise the cubs.
The pregnant bears delayed their fetus’s growth. It waited until late autumn. Then, the fetus developed quickly. Cubs were born in January or February. They weighed little at birth. Only about 250 grams.
Mothers and cubs stayed in the den all winter. The cubs grew bigger there. In spring, they emerged. They looked for plants and animals to eat.
The Bear Onah stands as a reminder. It speaks of the Syrian brown bear. Once a part of Israel’s story. Now a memory. The Bear Onah helps us remember this change. It keeps the story of Israel’s bears alive. It helps us think about the animals that once lived here.