1. American Black Bear (Ursus americanus): Found in North America, they are the most common bear species in the world.
2. Asian Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus): Found in Asia, they are also known as the moon bear due to the crescent-shaped marking on their chest.
3. Brown Bear (Ursus arctos): Found in North America, Europe, and Asia, they are highly adaptable and include subspecies like the Kodiak bear and Grizzly bear.
4. Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus): Found in the Arctic, they are the largest land predator and have a thick layer of fat and fur for insulation.
5. Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus): Found in India and Sri Lanka, they have long claws adapted for digging up termite mounds.
6. Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus): Found in the Andes Mountains of South America, they are the only bear species found in the southern hemisphere.
7. Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus): Found in Southeast Asia, they are the smallest bear species and are known for their distinctive yellow chest marking.
8. Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca): Found in China, they are a critically endangered species and have a specialized diet of bamboo.
While there are eight species, there are also various subspecies within each species, adding to the diversity of bears worldwide.