So it's one bear on normal? I had 2 on hard. I suspect hard means more enemies per battle. That's how difficulty should be!!! Nothing worse than artificial hitpoint bloat just to make it harder.
There were 3 on Path of the Damned when i did it, but i think it is a little of both, creatures are higher level / more defence/offense as well as more per encounter.
That is partly why i started over and wanted to play path of the damned, more enemies and more challenge, makes AOE's much more important.