Anexceptionally preserved, fossil Cave Bear jaw (Urusus spelaeus)from Romania. These large bears lived in the mountain caves from central Europe to Russia. An excellent, juvenile cave bear lower jaw. No repair or restoration.You can own a rare and wonderful story piece from the Ice Age!
Name: Urusus spelaeus Age: Late Pleistocene Location: Carpathian Mountains, Romania
R504 SIZE: 6-1/2" x 2-3/4" H
Note: Adding 12 new Cave Bear Products in March 2022. Link -> Cave Bear Fossils
Exceptionally preserved, Cave Bear fossils (Urusus spelaeus) from Romania. These large bears lived in the mountain caves from central Europe to Russia. Ursus spelaeus had a large body had long thighs, and massive shins making it similar in skeletal structure to the Brown Bear. Cave bears were comparable in size to the largest modern day bears. The average weight for males was approximately 1000 pounds.
The cave bears became extinction date about 28,000 years ago which coincides with a period of significant climate change (Last Glacial Maximum). The drastic cooling in temperature resulted in a reduction or total loss of the vegetation that the cave bears ate. The cave bears starved to death in the caves which provided todays fossil record.
Note - The cave bear also co-existed with the large ancestral Eurasian Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) which may provided competition for food and habitat. Ursus arctos fossils are found in the same area, but are quite rare.