Brown bears in central Europe are mostly solitary — they like to be alone. Each bear has a large home territory that it wanders through looking for food. In summer and autumn, they eat enormous amounts to build up fat reserves for winter.
In winter, brown bears go into a long deep sleep called hibernation. They find a sheltered den under tree roots or in a rocky cave, curl up and slow their heartbeat right down. They do not eat at all for several months. Baby bears (called cubs) are born during this winter sleep, tiny and helpless.
Brown bears are omnivores, meaning they eat plants and animals. But despite being big and strong, most of their diet is actually plants: berries, mushrooms, honey from wild beehives, roots and grass. They are excellent climbers and very good swimmers.
Brown bears are making a slow comeback across parts of Europe after almost disappearing. Conservation — protecting forests and teaching people about bears — has helped numbers grow. The Bohemian Forest on Czechia's south-west border is one place where bears are sometimes spotted today.