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— SpongeBob telling Squidward about the sea bear, "The Camping Episode"
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Sea bears are a large piranha-like fish species with grizzly/Eurasian brown bear heads who are known for attacking. They come in brown, green, and a lighter green. They first appear in "The Camping Episode."
In their first appearance, sea bears were so rare that many Bikini Bottomites believed them to be a ridiculous myth, including Squidward. However, after season 9, they appear regularly, without being seen as a myth.
Quick Answers
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Description
They are dark green, brown, beige, and greenish-yellow with claw-tipped front fins and the head of a grizzly bear or a Eurasian brown bear (interestingly, the former bear species was used as sea bear's placeholder image for articles pertaining them in The Bikini Bottom Inquirer and Fake Science Monthly).
An exceptionally violent and vicious animal, the sea bear took an immediate dislike to Squidward and attacked him repeatedly throughout the episode. The beast is attracted when Squidward, in mockery of SpongeBob and Patrick's belief in its existence, performs everything that supposedly provoke the animal to violence leading the terrified duo to draw a dirt circle to deter the sea bear, apparently the only successful method of doing so. After teasing them when the sea bear does not appear, the animal shows itself and readjusts Squidward's sombrero to the position that serves to enrage it. The enraged sea bear violently mauls him and repeats this five times after for differing reasons: running, limping, crawling, and simple dislike for the cephalopod (twice).
Conceding, Squidward jumps in SpongeBob and Patrick's circle to escape the bear. The animal prepares for another attack when it notices the dirt circle. The circle actually proves effective when the sea bear, despite being easily capable of bypassing this incredulous defense, seems to be put off by it and grudgingly leaves after threatening Squidward with hostile gestures likely intending to attack him again when the chance arises.
Attracting a sea bear
The following is a list of things that can attract a sea bear:
- Playing the clarinet badly (possibly irritate them).
- Waving one's flashlight back and forth really fast (Patrick claimed flashlights are their natural prey, indicating their usual diet being bioluminescent animals).
- Eating or holding cubed cheese; sliced cheese is safe (it's implied that there were recurring cases of sea bears eating cubed cheese they stumbled upon but always left sliced ones).
- Stomping around (SpongeBob said that they take it as a challenge).
- Wearing a hoop skirt (it might disgust them).
- Wearing clown shoes (same as hooped skirt).
- Wearing a sombrero in a goofy fashion such as upside down or tilted (same as hoop skirt and clown shoes).
- Screeching like a chimpanzee (may mimic the sound of a dying animal or animal taunts which either way, a big attractor considering how SpongeBob and Patrick frantically warned Squidward not to do this).
- Running from a Sea Bear (a sign of cowardliness which provokes subsequent attacks).
- Limping from a Sea Bear (same as running albeit worse).
- Crawling away from a Sea Bear (same as running and limping albeit worse).
- Simple dislike for the victim (which implies they can remember a person if they committed multiple offenses above).
- Drawing an oval instead of a circle in the dirt (possible attractor, the Sea Bear either attacked out of dislike again, or was attracted by Squidward trying to draw a circle only for it to be an oval, which does not work).
Behavior
Sea bears are highly territorial and aggressive creatures with a nasty temper to boot, displaying great ferocity while hunting or attacking those who offend them. One such sea bear continuously attacked Squidward for disobeying SpongeBob and Patrick's warnings and later, his repeated attempts to flee from his grasp. Still, they behave that way as per their nature as wild animals instead of malicious beings, more so considering the aforementioned incidents could've been avoided had Squidward heeded SpongeBob and Patrick's warnings, however ridiculous they sounded. Not only that, sea bears are cautious enough not to intrude other animals' territory just to get back on those who offend them (which is probably why the anti-sea-bear-circle works).
In the Bahasa Indonesia dub, SpongeBob explained that sea bears "filled camping spirit." Though this was certainly a translation error, he may actually have referred to sea bears' inherent curiosity towards campers, even those who camped at suburban regions which may or may not located near their habitat. Whatever the case, it's imperative to not do anything which may potentially draw their attention regardless of chance encounter.
Prevention
The only known thing that can prevent a sea bear attack is an anti-sea-bear circle (only a circle, not an oval). All the experts say it is the only thing that can stop a sea bear. It is also revealed that the sea bears are natural enemies with the sea rhinoceros (which are far more dangerous and can be attracted by the sound of a sea bear attack).
Alternatively, one can pacify sea bears with tummy tickles and jellyfish jelly considering they seem to love them. Of course, either approach must be done with extreme caution.
Sounds
Though it is credited that Dee Bradley Baker voiced the sea bear, additional sounds were from archival recordings from Thurl Ravenscroft (original voice of Tony the Tiger), Jimmy MacDonald (voice of Mickey Mouse from 1947 to 1977), Clarence Nash (original voice of Donald Duck), and Candy Candido (miscellaneous voices in Disney movies and attractions). The sounds of the sea bears' attacks attracts sea rhinoceros.
Role in series
SpongeBob SquarePants
"The Camping Episode"
A sea bear is the main antagonist of this episode (although only being shown towards the end).
Squidward initially didn't believe in the sea bear's existence, before he was attacked by one in this episode. However, SpongeBob and Patrick are fervent believers, having read about them in The Bikini Bottom Inquirer and Fake Science Monthly, which are both tabloid magazines. Squidward is mauled five times by the enraged sea bear after he did various things that attracted it. When he fails to draw an anti-sea-bear circle to protect himself, he is mauled for the sixth time. Until he finally jumps into the dirt circle with the duo.
The sea bear appears again at the end, but seeing Squidward is now protected makes the sea bear leave the area although not before it warns Squidward via his gestures that it will attack him again once it gets attracted, thus saving Squidward. However, the sounds of that sea bear attack also attracted a sea rhinoceros which anti-sea bear circles do not provide protection from.
Camping Chaos!
A sea bear chases SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidward.
"Married to Money"
Several other sea bears make a cameo appearance in the Krusty Krab at the beginning, where SpongeBob feeds them jellyfish jelly and tickles their stomachs.
"Out of the Picture"
A sea bear can be seen in one of Squidward's art pieces that is ready to be sold.
"The Clam Whisperer"
They make a cameo appearance, chasing SpongeBob and the clams away.
"The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom"
Mentioned as "Bear-Fish" in this instance.
"Chatterbox Gary"
A sea bear can be seen in one of Squidward's paintings in Squidward's house.
"Pineapple RV"
Patrick wonders where the RV is so he points to some growling sea bears. Squidward wants to protect SpongeBob and Patrick from them, thinking that they were attacking them. However, the sea bears were only playing tummy-tickle, which they like to do, although they don't like it when someone karate-chops their knee-highs, which Squidward just did, so sea bears attacked him.
"Sandy's Nutty Nieces"
SpongeBob starts to read Sandy's nieces a book titled Goldyfish and the Three Sea Bears, although they refuse before he can begin the first chapter.
"Who R Zoo?"
They appear to attack the animals of the Bubble Zoo with their fellow zoo animals.
"A Place for Pets"
A sea bear appears in the Krusty Krab.
"Squidward's Sick Daze"
An arctic sea bear is seen as SpongeBob gathers ice for Squidward.
"Friendiversary"
They appear after Squidward recreates the scene of him wearing/doing everything that attracts them while restoring SpongeBob's memories of him. They also attack Squidward like in the original scene from "The Camping Episode."
"Jeffy T's Prankwell Emporium"
A sea bear emerges from the box given to Jeff Tentacles, puts a sombrero on his head upside-down, and mauls him.
Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years
"Camp SpongeBob"
Sea bears are among the various animals SpongeBob lets into Kamp Koral while the other campers are away.
"Sun's Out, Fun's Out"
When SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, and Squidward are looking for shade on a hot day, then run into a cave. A sea bear chases them out, but burns his feet on the sand and goes back in.
The Patrick Star Show
"Squidina's Little Helper"
A sea bear briefly appears after Patrick finishes a segment of his show about wild animals. Squidina yells at the bear, ordering it to go into its cage. The sea bear scaredly runs back to its cage soon afterwards.
"Survivoring"
In the woods, Cecil makes a shelter out of sleeping sea bears. They wake up and maul him and Patrick.
"Stuntin'"
Patrick boxes against a sea bear named Bare-Knuckles. Bare-Knuckles beats up Patrick, but gets exhausted and falls asleep, letting Patrick win.
"Get Off My Lawnie"
Rube takes a picture of a sea bear and gets attacked by it.
"Family Plotz"
GrandPat's flashback involves him in a recreation of Goldilocks, with the three bears being represented by a family of sea bears. At the end of the episode, Papa Bear catches GrandPat and attacks him.
"Tying the Klop-Knot"
Klopnodian wedding law calls for a "ring bear" rather than a ring bearer. A sea bear takes the ring from Patrick and sticks it in his nose. It chases Patrick and beats him up, and he removes it from his head before going to play the wedding march.
Role in video games
The Cosmic Shake
Sea bears first appear in Prehistoric Kelp Forest and act as obstacles. When SpongeBob goes near a sea bear, they will lunge towards him.
SpongeBob Simulator
They appear as obtainable buddies from the Deluxe Lifter Clam.
SpongeBob Tower Defense
They appear as units.
Trivia
- "Sea bear" is also another term for "polar bear" or "pinniped," because real-life land bears are closely related to pinnipeds and polar bears are marine mammals.
- Sea bears are a species of tardigrades, which were also known as water bears or moss piglets.
- The sea bears' debut appearance in "The Camping Episode" is very similar to the Flying Dutchman's debut in the episode "Scaredy Pants"; both episodes they appear in take place entirely at night and they serve as the main antagonists, but only appearing near the end/in the final minutes of it.