1. With territories stretching from Arctic ice to south of the equator, the eight members of Ursidae include the planet’s largest land predators — and a seriously sketchy family tree.
2. For decades, researchers have struggled to chart the evolution of bears. A genomic analysis published in Scientific Reports in April explained why: Gene flow between different species is common and can result in fertile hybrids.
3. You may have heard about pizzlies and grolars, the offspring of grizzlies and polar bears, but other species, such as the sun bear and Asiatic black bear, also hybridize in the wild.
