The largest of bears, and indeed of all terrestrial carnivores, is the Polar Bear, with males weighing up to an incredible 800kg. This species is supremely adapted to hunting seals out on the Arctic ice, but Polar Bears sometimes pursue prey as large as Walrus or even Beluga. In recent years, however, as climate change has lapped away at their frozen hunting grounds, bears have increasingly started raiding seabird colonies. Much of their range is relatively inaccessible, but one of the most rewarding places to look for them in the wild is the breathtaking Svalbard archipelago, where dedicated cruises often have great success with sightings, alongside a supporting cast of Reindeer, Arctic Fox and vast breeding assemblages of Little Auk and Brunnich’s Guillemot.

The Polar Bear’s only rival in size is the Kodiak Bear, a subspecies of Brown Bear found in coastal Alaska. However, Brown Bears are vastly more variable across their enormous range; while a male Kodiak Bear could weigh over half a tonne, one in the Himalayas might reach little over 100kg. Known as Grizzly Bear in North America, this species is also found right across northern Eurasia, including Britain in the distant past. Although capable of spectacular feats of hunting (large males have been known to tackle adult Moose) most populations are predominantly plant-eating. For the UK-based mammal-watcher, this is the most accessible of all bear species; Brown Bears are thriving in the Cantabrian Mountains of northern Spain, where they can be seen alongside Wolf and European Wildcat, while dedicated hides in countries like Finland, Slovenia and Romania offer practically guaranteed close encounters. In Italy’s Abruzzo Mountains, home to a small but visible population, Naturetrek has recently purchased a 120-acre reserve to support their conservation. Further afield, summer in Alaska’s Katmai National Park offers perhaps the most remarkable viewing opportunity of all, as thousands of leaping salmon draw dozens of gorging bears into close proximity.

The other North American species is the American Black Bear which, although smaller than Brown Bear, can still weigh up to 300kg. This is the most generalist of all bear species, with a diet that includes carrion, insects, fruits, nuts and berries. Its adaptability is the secret to its remarkable success; there are estimated to be twice as many American Black Bears in the wild as all other bear species put together. As such, there are numerous excellent places to search from them, from the forests of New England to California’s towering redwood mountains, and the famous Yellowstone National Park. An especially exciting option, however, is western Canada’s coastal Great Bear Rainforest, which can be explored by boat; here, around 10% of bears sport a ghostly white coat, earning them the name of ‘Spirit Bear’.

Only one species has a foothold in South America: the Spectacled (or Andean) Bear. This elusive and beautiful creature is the sole surviving member of the short-faced bear subfamily, which was once dominant across the Americas. Named for the distinctive pale markings around the eyes possessed by some individuals, Spectacled Bears are restricted to the humid forests and adjacent high pastures of the Andes Mountains, where they feed largely on plants, including cactuses, bromeliads, orchid bulbs and fallen fruit. With males weighing in at around 115kg, this is in fact the largest land carnivore in South America (larger even than Jaguar), although only 5% or so of their diet actually consists of meat. In fact, of all the continent’s terrestrial mammals, only the tapirs (including the Mountain Tapir that shares its misty high-altitude home) are greater in size. The Spectacled Bear can be found throughout the Andes, from Venezuela to north-west Argentina, but local guides in Ecuador, Colombia and Peru are particularly adept at locating the species.

The remaining species are found exclusively in Asia. The smallest of all makes its home in the tangled rainforest of Southeast Asia, including the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. Its name – Sun Bear – comes from the characteristic orange-cream patch on its chest. At just 25-65kg, it is less than a tenth the size of a Polar Bear; this diminutive scale is an advantage in the thick jungle, helping the Sun Bear to adeptly scramble up trees in search of insects, fruit and honey. Living at low densities in impenetrable habitats, they are among the most difficult of all bear species to see in the wild. However, Kaeng Krachan National Park in Thailand has recently become something of a hotspot, with several bears regularly visiting tourist camps to scavenge for food. Nocturnal excursions in Borneo offer the prospect of a more authentic experience (but a lower chance of success), as well as other near-mythical nocturnal creatures like Sunda Pangolin, Marbled Cat and Sunda Clouded Leopard.

A distinctive chest patch – this time white and crescent-shaped – gives another Asian species its name: Moon Bear. More commonly known as Asian Black Bear, this distinctive, round-eared creature is found from Iran east through the Himalayas and Southeast Asia, all the way up to the Russian Far East and the islands of Japan. It shares a broadly omnivorous diet with its American namesake, although of the two it is typically the more carnivorous. Although its distribution is broad, this is another challenging species to see in the wild; Dachigam National Park in India’s far north can be productive, but perhaps the best place to look is the Japanese island of Hokkaido in summer, when other mammals such as Japanese Serow, Raccoon Dog and Japanese Flying Squirrel can also be seen.

One of the most unusual of the eight is the Sloth Bear. Named for its resemblance to the extinct ground sloths, in some ways it has more in common with a pangolin or Aardvark. Its great, curved claws are perfect for excavating insects, and its elongated muzzle is missing a pair of upper incisors, creating a straw-like gap that enables Sloth Bears to suck up ants and termites, making a vacuuming sound which can be heard over 100 metres away. They are also the only bear to habitually carry their young on their back, which offers some additional protection from predators like Tiger and Leopard. Indian national parks – including Tadoba and Satpura – can be excellent for sightings, although high Tiger densities are detrimental to Sloth Bears, with even adults occasionally being taken as prey. Other promising options are Chitwan National Park in Nepal, also home to Indian Rhino, and Wilpattu in Sri Lanka, where Sloth Bear is the largest native carnivore.

Last, and certainly not least, is a global symbol of conservation, and arguably the most iconic bear of all: the Giant Panda. Ironically, however, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the species was definitively proven to be a bear at all; it shares many physical features with raccoons. Famously slow-breeding and surviving off a nutrient-poor diet of bamboo, Giant Pandas were once close to extinction, but happily their numbers have rebounded in the mountain forests of China. Access to these forests is difficult, but Giant Pandas are occasionally seen on tours of Sichuan, where more likely species include Golden Snub-nosed Monkey, Sichuan Takin, and the similarly adorable (but not closely related) Red Panda.

Bears are as fascinating, varied and remarkable as the landscapes they inhabit. Whether it’s to the high peaks of the Andes, the Arctic pack ice, the Bornean jungles or even the heart of Europe, an adventure in search of wild bears is sure to bring you into nature at its most spectacular and inspiring.