Bears are large powerful animals.  They have long and thick fur.  Bears are carnivores that means they eat chiefly meat.  Bears also eat other foods, like fruit, nuts, leaves, insects,and fish.  The Alaskan brown bear is the largest carnivore that lives on land.  It grows about 9 feet (2.7 meters) long and may weigh up to 1,700 pounds (770 kilograms). They are found in Asia, Europe, North America,and in the Arctic near the North Pole.  No wild bears live in Africa,Antarctica,or Australia.  Bears have small eyes and cannot see well.  Their small, rounded ears stand straight up, but they hear only fairly well.  They have excellent sense of smell. Bears have short, strong legs and large feet. Each foot has five toes, and each toe ends in a long, heavy claw. The claws can always be seen because, unlike those of a cat, they have no covering. A bear uses its claws to dig up roots, ants, termites, and other food, or to tear its prey.  A bear's walk differs from that of most other animals. Most animals walk and run on their toes. A bear, like a human being, puts the entire sole of its foot on the ground with each step and the heel of the foot strikes the ground first.