Taphonomic studies with wild brown bears (Ursus arctos) in the mountains of northern Spain

► The wild brown bear does not generate skeletal accumulations in its den. ► The bone modification caused by wild brown bears is of a very low intensity. ► Tooth marks are concentrated in spongy tissue of bones. ► Bears do not fracture long bones, fractures occurred in axial skeleton bones. ► Metric analysis allowed the distinction of the bear's tooth marks from that of other carnivores.