Black Bear
Ursus americanus
The American black bear is the smallest of the three bears species found in North America, and are found only in North America. Black bears have short, non-retractable claws that give them an excellent tree-climbing ability.
Black bear fur is usually a uniform color except for a brown muzzle and light markings that sometimes appear on their chests. Eastern populations are usually black in color while western populations often show brown, cinnamon, and blond coloration in addition to black. Black bears with white-bluish fur are known as Kermode (glacier) bears and these unique color phases are only found in coastal British Columbia, Canada.
Height 2-3 feet at shoulders
Length 4-7 feet from nose to tip of
tail
Weight Males weigh an average of 150-300 lbs.
Have been known to
weigh from 500-600 lbs.; females are smaller
Lifespan Can live 20-25 years in the wild, although there is increased mortality around 10 years of age.
Diet
Omnivorous: plants, fruits, nuts, insects, honey, salmon, small
mammals and carrion. In northern regions, they eat spawning salmon.
They will also occasionally kill young deer or moose calves.
Population
It is estimated that there are at least 600,000 black bears in North America. In the United States, there are estimated to be over 300,000 individuals. However, the Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolu) and Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus) are threatened subspecies with small populations (see Status/Protection).
Range
The American black bear is distributed throughout North America, from Canada to Mexico and in at least 40 states in the U.S. They historically occupied nearly all of the forested regions of North America, but in the U.S. they are now restricted to the forested areas less densely occupied by humans. In Canada, black bears still inhabit most of their historic range except for the intensively farmed areas of the central plains. In Mexico, black bears were thought to have inhabited the mountainous regions of the northern states but are now limited to a few remnant populations.
Behavior
Black bears are extremely adaptable and show a great variation in habitat types, though they are primarily found in forested areas with thick ground vegetation and an abundance of fruits, nuts, and vegetation. In the northern areas, they can be found in the tundra, and they will sometimes forage in fields or meadows.
Black bears tend to be solitary animals, with the exception of mothers and cubs. The bears usually forage alone, but will tolerate each other and forage in groups if there is an abundance of food in one area.
Most black bears hibernate depending on local weather conditions and availability of food during the winter months. In regions where there is a consistent food supply and warmer weather throughout the winter, bears may not hibernate at all or do so for a very brief time. Females give birth and usually remain denned throughout the winter, but males and females without young may leave their dens from time to time during winter months.
Reproduction
Mating Season Summer
Gestation 63-70 days
Litter Size
1-6 cubs; 2 cubs are most common
Cubs remain with the mother for a year and a
half or more, even though they are weaned at 6-8 months of age. Females
only reproduce every second year (or more) . Should the young die for some
reason, the female may reproduce after only one year.
Threats
Habitat loss and fragmentation, logging, human encroachment, road-kills, poaching and depredation kills. Highways, homes and other developments built through bear habitat fragment their habitat, sometimes keeping them from large areas they depend on for food, water and shelter. Habitat fragmentation also makes it difficult for bears to find mates and limits their chances to move into more suitable habitat. There is a misconception that black bears are vicious animals. Because there is a common misconception among people that black bears are vicious, increasing numbers of bears are being killed as more people move into bear habitat and have interactions with them.
Legal Status/Protection
American black bears are listed as a threatened subspecies in Louisiana, eastern Texas and southern Mississippi under the federal *Endangered Species Act. In four additional states black bears are state-listed as rare, threatened or endangered (Lousiana, Florida and within the historic range of black bears in southern Mississippi and eastern Texas). The Florida black bear subspecies is listed as threatened by the state of Florida. In most of the remaining states, black bears are classified as a game animal. In Canada the bears are classified as a pest species in the agricultural areas of Manitoba, while they are classified as a game animal and/or furbearer in the rest of Canada. In Mexico, the black bear is listed as Endangered by Mexican wildlife authorities.
* The Endangered Species Act requires the US federal government to identify species threatened with extinction, identify habitat they need to survive, and help protect both. In doing so, the Act works to ensure the basic health of our natural ecosystems and protect the legacy of conservation we leave to our children and grandchildren.
How You Can Help
- Help black bears and other wildlife by adopting a black bear at our Wildlife Adoption Center.
- Take Action for Wildlife at our Wildlife Action Center.
For additional information
Visit Defenders' Imperiled Species: Florida Black Bear pages for more information about what Defenders is doing to help.
International Association for Bear Research & Management
Bear.org
Tahoe Council For Wild Bears
BEAR League
American Bear Association
