Black Bear (Ursus americanus) Length: Weight: Top Speed: Gestation: Life Span: 5 feet 125 lb. 25 mph 220 days 25 years Status: Man is the primary predator of the black bear. When the Europeans settled in America they killed bears whenever possible and cleared their habitat for farms and housing. Today the black bear is making a comeback, but their is still poaching. In Asia there is a demand for bear gall bladders and paws for ancient medicinal purposes and thus poaching occurs. Regulated hunting is legal in many states. Report by Catamount

Physical Characteristics The black bear has a heavy body with a short tail, plantigrade feet, and rounded ears. Their soft, shaggy fur is most commonly black, but it is not uncommon to see a black bear with light or dark brown, beige, and rarely white fur. Black bears are excellent climbers. Their hind legs are longer than their front so climbing up hill is easier than going down hill. All of their paws are equipped with strong non-retractable claws which are used for tearing, digging, and climbing. Their awesome strength can kill an adult deer with one blow. Black bears have excellent hearing and smell. Their incredible sense of smell is used for identification as well as searching for food. Habitat and Daily Life The solitary black bear is the most widely spread bear in North America; their is a population of about 400,000-750,000 in the woodlands and meadows of Canada, the US, and as far south as the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico. Thirty-two states and all providences except Prince Edward Island have black bears as well as five Mexican states. The home ranges of black bears varies by the concentration of food sources. The more concentrated the food supply the smaller amount of land is needed to support the bear. The males range is larger than that of the females and generally overlaps at least two to three other females’ territories. The range of the females is about 2.5 - 10 square miles and the males have a range of about 25-125 square miles. Hibernation In late summer to early fall the black bear will begin eating as much as possible to support itself during the period of hibernation. Weight gain may be up to thirty pounds in one week! The process of hibernation may last for four to seven months. In warmer climates where a year long food source is available hibernation may not occur. If not, the bear will forge until he or she is very fat and lethargic. Then the bear will enter a cave, dig out, hollow log or tree cavity. The body temperature decreases to about 88 degrees from the normal 101 degrees Fahrenheit. Body functions decrease in half, and the heart beat drops from forty to seventy beats a minute to about eight to twelve beats per minute. Females generally hibernate longer than then males, especially if they are giving birth to new born cubs. Bears do not pass any waste while hibernating. Hunting and Feeding The black bear is primarily a vegetarian, vegetation making 80-95% of their diet. After hibernation most of the black bear’s diet is grasses. When the temperature rises around June they add various insects, and towards the fall berries, mushrooms, and acorns are consumed. The bear is always on the lookout for carrion and they are drawn by the smell of rotting flesh. The black bear is also a good fisherman. During the fall the black bear eats as much as possible to prepare for hibernation. Reproduction and Cubs At about three to five years of age the female matures and is ready for her first mate. During June or July (depending on the weather) the female will enter estrous for about three weeks and will mate with one or more males; copulation occurs in a similar manner to that of canines. After a gestation period of 220 days the female with give birth to the female during hibernation. They are blind and hairless, weighing about 8.5-11.5 ounces and are about the size of a chipmunk. They are strong enough to move to suckle on their mother to get a very fatty, nutritious milk. The milk is about 20% fat. When the mother is ready to leave her den to feed, the cubs are as well. They are weaned during July to September of their first year and will stay with her for their first winter. When the mother is ready to mate again, she will send them off to find a territory of their own.