Friday, July 24, 2026
Science

Portugal's ancient giant bears shrank over thousands of years and humans may be to blame

About 22,000 years ago, a giant brown bear lumbered across what is now Portugal. The creature weighed around 385 kg (about 850 pounds), making it one of the largest of its kind ever found, dwarfing even the largest brown bears today.

Portugal's ancient giant bears shrank over thousands of years and humans may be to blame
Image: Phys.org
About 22,000 years ago, a giant brown bear lumbered across what is now Portugal. The creature weighed around 385 kg (about 850 pounds), making it one of the largest of its kind ever found, dwarfing even the largest brown bears today.

Originally published at Phys.org

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