Scary Bear

You can see this stuffed bear at the Natural History Museum, which has a collection of old stuffed animals like this one. Like many products of taxidermy, this bear (a grizzly?) is striking a dramatic pose, looking very threatening and downright nasty. I have to confess, I have a soft spot for such display, even though it gives bears (in this instance) a bad rep. I mean, they diet consists mainly of berries for crying out loud! It is true however that bears are not the cuddly soft toys that children (and sometimes adults) love. They can be vicious attackers when provoked, hungry or scared. So this bear may have struck such a pose in real life, but somehow I doubt it. And now he is stuck with it. Still, I love this scary bear and I love him because he is menacing. I'd give him a hug if I could.