The first finding of Asian black bear (Carnivora, Ursidae, Ursus (Euarctos) thibetanus G. Cuvier, 1823) in the Late Pleistocene of northern Eurasia

Researchers have uncovered the first reliable evidence of the Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus) in the Late Pleistocene of Primorye, a region within northern Eurasia. An M1 tooth, discovered in Tetyukhinskaya cave, provides morphological and morphometric details that confirm this ancient presence. Radiocarbon dating places the bear's inhabitation at approximately 39,874 ± 133 years BP, corresponding to Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3) of the Late Pleistocene. This discovery suggests a diverse range of landscapes in Primorye during this period, indicating the existence of a refugium where taiga, nemoral, and Central Asian mountain-forest species coexisted. The study sheds light on the historical distribution and ecological adaptability of the Asian black bear.

Kosintsev, P. A., Tiunov, M. P., Gimranov, D. O., & Panov, V. S. (2016). The first finding of Asian black bear (Carnivora, Ursidae, Ursus (Euarctos) thibetanus G. Cuvier, 1823) in the Late Pleistocene of northern Eurasia. Doklady Biological Sciences, 471(1), 266–268. https://doi.org/10.1134/s0012496616060041