September is Bear Month — discover the wonderfully odd group names of one of the world’s most solitary big mammals.
Welcome to Bear Month at Gaggle of Nouns! Throughout September, Professor Gaggle is heading into forests, mountains, and snowdrifts to explore the unusual collective nouns associated with bears.
From a sloth of bears to a sleuth or maul, the English language has accumulated some wonderfully strange ways to describe these remarkable animals.
Follow along all month as new bear articles are added below.
Why Bears?
Bears are among the largest and most recognizable land mammals, found across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia — but unlike wolves or elephants, most species spend the majority of their lives alone. There are eight living bear species, ranging from the sun bear (as small as 60–150 lbs) to the polar bear and Kodiak brown bear, which can exceed 1,000 pounds.
Bears have picked up several collective nouns over time, including sloth, sleuth, maul, and pack, plus a handful of rarer, more playful terms. This month we’re taking a closer look at what these terms mean and the species behind them.
Coming Throughout September
During Bear Month, we’re exploring bear collective nouns including:
A Sloth of Bears — Perhaps the best-known bear collective noun, and an irresistible excuse for a group of bears doing absolutely nothing.
A Sleuth of Bears — A wonderfully appropriate term for curious bears, especially when there’s a mysterious missing jar of honey to investigate.
A Maul of Bears — A less common term that gives Professor Gaggle the perfect opportunity to send a group of bears shopping at “The Maul.”
A Pack of Bears — A less common collective term that becomes considerably more entertaining when the bears are packing for a family vacation.
A Hug of Bears — A warm and wonderfully visual name for a group of bears, although accepting a real bear hug is strongly discouraged.
A Drift of Bears — An unusual bear collective noun with an obvious destination: a group of bears buried in a giant snowdrift.
A Company of Bears — An uncommon term that transforms surprisingly well into a boardroom full of bears discussing honey sales, hibernation strategy, and quarterly growth.
As each new article is published, this page will be updated with direct links.
What You’ll Learn
Every article in our Bear Month series includes:
- The primary collective noun
- Alternative group names
- Where the species lives
- Lifespan
- Diet and behavior
- Reproduction
- Interesting facts
- Frequently asked questions
- Original illustrations created for Gaggle of Nouns
Did You Know?
The two collective nouns most traditionally associated with bears are sloth and sleuth. “Sloth” suggests sluggishness or laziness, while “sleuth” eventually became associated with tracking and investigation, two rather entertaining mental images when applied literally to bears.
Most bear species aren’t true hibernators. Many enter a lighter state called torpor, keeping a body temperature closer to normal and able to wake more easily, sometimes even to give birth mid-winter.
Bears enter hyperphagia in late summer and fall, eating up to 20,000 calories a day to build the fat reserves that get them through winter.
Join Us All Month
New bear collective nouns, illustrations, facts, and articles will be appearing throughout September.
Check back regularly to discover another fascinating bear species and learn the surprising names used for groups of these incredible animals.
Continue Exploring Collective Nouns
If you enjoyed learning about bears, there are hundreds of other fascinating animal group names waiting to be discovered.