虎 and 熊: animals and their depictions
Check whether a tiger or bear reference concerns direct observation, a picture, or a toy.
Seeing a tiger
虎, read とら, means tiger. 動物園で虎を見ました。 means seeing a tiger at a zoo.
虎の写真を本で見ました。 means seeing a tiger photograph in a book. Do not change this into encountering a live tiger outdoors.
Depicting a bear
熊, read くま, means bear. 熊の絵を描きました。 means drawing a picture of a bear.
熊のぬいぐるみを買いました。 means buying a stuffed bear. It does not mean purchasing a live animal.
Contrast and scope
虎は見えましたが、熊は見えませんでした。 says that the tiger was visible but the bear was not. It does not establish the bear's nonexistence.
この写真には虎が二頭写っています。 says that two tigers appear in this photograph. It does not count those outside the photograph.
Was a real bear purchased in 熊のぬいぐるみを買いました?
Show the answer and why
No. The purchase was a bear-shaped stuffed toy.