This close up of baby bears fighting shows two young siblings practicing their skills at confrontation. The bears are “jawing,” a behavior where they open their mouths as wide as possible in an effort to intimidate fellow bears. Although it looks like they might, the bears will not actually bite each other. You can tell the bears are playing by looking closely at the claws of the left bear— he is not digging into his sibling even though he easily could.
When adult bears fight for real (usually over territory or mates), the carnage can be horrible, often leaving even the winning party quite injured. Legitimate fights are similar to wrestling matches, with the bears sinking their jaws and claws into their opponent, and then trying to throw their weight around.
Stock Image #20100923-122950A