American Cow Parsnip vs Oso Polar

Heracleum maximum compared with Ursus maritimus

Key Differences

American Cow Parsnip is Least Concern while Oso Polar is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	American Cow Parsnip	Oso Polar
Kingdom	Plantae (planta)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (cordados)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order	Apiales (Apiales)	Carnivora (carnívoros)
Family	Apiaceae	Ursidae (Bears)
Genus	Heracleum	Ursus (Bears)
Species	Heracleum maximum	Ursus maritimus

Conservation Status

American Cow Parsnip

LC — Least Concern

Oso Polar

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~26.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	American Cow Parsnip	Oso Polar
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	25 years
Average Length	—	2.4 m
Average Weight	—	450.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

American Cow Parsnip

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Canada, France, Norway, and United States.

Oso Polar

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Norway. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

American Cow Parsnip

The American Cow Parsnip (Heracleum maximum) is a species in the genus Heracleum. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Oso Polar

El mayor carnivoro terrestre de la Tierra, el oso polar puede superar los 700 kg y se encuentra en el hielo marino del Artico, desde Canada hasta Rusia. Es un mamifero marino altamente especializado que depende del hielo marino para cazar focas anilladas y barbadas. Excelente nadador capaz de cubrir grandes distancias en agua abierta. Clasificado como Vulnerable, sus poblaciones soportan una presion severa por la rapida perdida de hielo marino artico debida al cambio climatico.