MacFarlane's Bear

The MacFarlane's Bear is a proposed extinct species of bear that was found in Canada's Northwest Territories. In 1864, naturalist Robert MacFarlane acquired an "enormous" yellow-furred bear skin from the Inuit, as well as the bear's skull. MacFarlane shipped the remains to the Smithsonian Institution where they were placed in storage and soon forgotten. Eventually, Dr. Clinton Hart Merriam uncovered the remains, which he recognized as a new species, "Ursus inopinatus". In 1918, he described the specimen as a new species and genus, "Vetularctos inopinatus", calling it the "patriarchal bear." [ [http://www.strangeark.com/bfr/historical/bille-mystery-bears.html Mystery Bears.] Reprinted with permission from Rumors of Existence, Matthew A. Bille at Strange Ark. Retrieved on February 5 2008]

With the exception of unconfirmed sightings, the MacFarlane's Bear is sometimes thought to have gone extinct since the specimen was obtained in 1864. There have been many theories concerning the origin of the MacFarlane's Bear, which include suggestions that it may have been a Grizzly–polar bear hybrid, or even a surviving representative of a Pleistocene species.

It is known nowadays that grizzly-polar bear hybrids do occur on occasion and that they match the specimen's description very well, notably the pale tan fur, and apparently also the oddly shaped skull which led Merriam to propose his new genus. While this seems to be a satisfying explanation, it was not tested thoroughly because the hybridization theory was for long just that. Now that more than circumstantial data from such hybrids exists, ancient DNA analysis and/or a morphological study of the skull may well resolve the case of McFarlane's specimen. If it turns out to be a hybrid the scientific names "Vetularctos" and "Ursus inopinatus" would become invalid under the ICZN.

In episode #215 of the History Channel program "Monster Quest", "Giant Bear Attack", paleontologist Dr. Blaine W. Shubert (of East Tennessee State University) was allowed to examine the skull (although the Institute did not allow the examination to be filmed). Shubert stated that he was "100% sure" that is was the skull of a young, female brown bear and "actually, not a particularly large individual."

References

* Karl Shuker (1997). "From Flying Toads To Snakes With Wings." Llewellyn, St Paul. ISBN 1-56718-673-4