A bear pit was historically used to display
bear
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...
s, typically for entertainment and especially
bear-baiting
Bear-baiting is a blood sport in which a chained bear and one or more dogs are forced to fight one another. It may also involve pitting a bear against another animal.
History Europe Great Britain
Bear-baiting was very popular from the 12th ...
. The pit area was normally surrounded by a high fence, above which the spectators would look down on the bears.
The most traditional form of maintaining
bear
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...
s in
captivity
Captivity, or being held captive, is a state wherein humans or other animals are confined to a particular space and prevented from leaving or moving freely. An example in humans is imprisonment. Prisoners of war are usually held in captivity by a ...
is keeping them in pits, although many zoos replaced these by more elaborate and spacious enclosures that attempt to replicate their natural
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
s, for the benefit of the
animal
Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...
s and the visitors.
A noteworthy example is found in
Bern
german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese
, neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen
, website ...
,
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. Known as the ''
Bärengraben
The Bärengraben, or Bear Pit, is a tourist attraction in the Swiss capital city of Bern. It is a bear pit, or enclosure housing bears, situated at the eastern edge of the old city of Bern, next to the Nydeggbrücke and the River Aar. Although ...
'', it was built in 1857 and is still in use though much modified: after an outcry around 2000, when the bears were still in two circular pits and shut up at night, a park was constructed on the riverbank by the pits with generous access to the river Aare which has greatly improved the three bears' accommodation.
Other meanings
Another meaning is for an unusually aggressive political arena, in which direct, heated attacks are common.
What happened to bully Banks?
' - ''The New Zealand Herald
''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand. It has the largest newspaper circulation of all newspapers ...
'', Saturday 11 October 2008
A bear pit also refers to a type of trap used to deter or trap bears. It usually consists of a large earthen pit with sharpened pikes in the bottom to impale the bear. They are most often used to deter bears from approaching a cabin, rather than as a means of actually catching them.
The term "bear pit" is also used to describe a
tournament
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
or sparring format sometimes also referred to as "
king of the hill
''King of the Hill'' is an American animated sitcom created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired its original non-syndicated run from January 12, 1997, to September 13, 2009, and centers on the Hills, an Am ...
". The participants form a queue behind the first two to compete. Once each match is over, the winner remains to face the next opponent in line while the loser goes to the end of the queue. For tournaments, it is usual that the process is continued for a set period of time during which the victor of each match is noted. At the end of the tournament the winner is determined to be the contestant that won the most matches. Multiple bear pits may also be employed, with defeated contestants able to choose which queue to re-enter.
In Scotland, the phrase "Bear pit" is used to describe bars or public houses that are known to have a violent reputation.
See also
*
Berenkuil (traffic)
A berenkuil (a Dutch word meaning a bear pit) is a type of traffic circle found in the Netherlands. In this construction, automotive traffic is directed around a raised outer circle. This leaves a sunken open space in the center of the circle whic ...
*
Menagerie
A menagerie is a collection of captive animals, frequently exotic, kept for display; or the place where such a collection is kept, a precursor to the modern Zoo, zoological garden.
The term was first used in 17th-century France, in reference to ...
*
Zoo
A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes.
The term ''zoological garden'' refers to zoo ...
References
External links
Sheffield Botanical Gardens Bear PitBear parc in Bern
Bears
Zoos
Baiting (blood sport)
Cruelty to animals
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es:Foso del oso