Ursus minimus (the Auvergne bear) is an extinct species of bear, endemic to Europe during the Pliocene and Pleistocene, living from 5.3 to 1.8 Mya, existing for about 3.5 million years.

[1] The range of U. minimus was continental Europe, as far east as the Black Sea in Russia and as far south as Italy.

The skeleton of U. minimus was very similar to that of the larger Asian black bear.

With the exception of the age of the bones, it is often difficult to distinguish the remains of U. minimus from those of modern Asian black bears.

[2] Sites and specimen ages: This article related to prehistoric animals from order Carnivora is a stub.