A rarely seen brown bear of the plateau, known to Tibetans as the dremong.

  • Group: Mammal
  • Habitats: Alpine meadow, alpine steppe, scrub
  • Regions: Ü Tsang, Kham, Amdo

Habitat

Alpine meadows and steppe, often near river valleys.

Diet

Pikas and marmots, roots and grasses, and carrion.

Ecological role

An omnivore and one of the few large predators of the steppe.

Threats

It is poorly studied; hunting and conflict with herders over livestock are the main known threats.

Conservation

The Tibetan brown bear is not assessed separately; the brown bear as a species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Sources & References for all of Understanding Tibet