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Excluding hybrids it seems like there are eight species of bears.

Which are most and least likely to injure or kill a human?

Related Do black, brown/grizzly or polar bears ever prey on humans?

Related Is any subspecies of black bear more -- or less -- aggressive than another?

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  • Doing this as a comment because not detailed and sourced enough. Generally medium sized bears like black bears are most aggressive, because they aren't big enough to be safe from say a moose or a wolf family. Large brown bears are less likely to attack, except when with young. Polar Bears are more predatory than others, and more likely to attack out of a lack of food. Small species like sun bears, spectacled bears and sloth bears are of least concern as far as bears go, they only fight something our size if it attacks them. These bears can still kill a person, but are much less likely to try.
    – Monster
    Commented Sep 2, 2018 at 11:01
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    @Monster I disagree with your characterization of black bears. Black bears in the California Sierra and the Colorado Rockies (the only ones I know well) avoid or retreat from people. The saying among the hikers I knew in CA was that black bears think humans are large animals; brown bears think humans are small animals. Of course, one has to respect black bears and be cautious when in the vicinity of one.
    – ab2
    Commented Sep 2, 2018 at 14:01
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    you may want to reference the question about whether some subspecies (of which there are 16) of black bear are more aggressive than others.
    – ab2
    Commented Sep 2, 2018 at 14:09
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    Teddy bears, perhaps?
    – Loren Pechtel
    Commented Sep 2, 2018 at 20:33
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    @ab2 Didn't see your question, although it's an obvious answer. The other alternative is the drop bear.
    – Loren Pechtel
    Commented Sep 2, 2018 at 21:00

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