Oscar

Oscar

Ursus americanus pallas - American Black Bear

Despite their name, Black Bears can actually appear in a variety of colors.

There are brown Black Bears, white Black Bears, and even the blue Glacier Bear.

Black bears are widely distributed throughout the forested areas of North America.

They are presently found in northern Mexico, 32 states of the United States, and all the provinces

and territories of Canada except Prince Edward Island. Black bears are omnivorous and feed

on a wide range of foods, depending on what is available. Insects (particularly ants), nuts, berries,

acorns, grasses, roots, and other vegetation form the bulk of their diet in most areas.

Black bears can also be efficient predators of deer fawns and moose calves.

Black bears are timid and easily frightened as a rule. Similar to Gorillas,

they will mock charge and retreat. A mother with cubs will train the cubs to retreat

to a tree while she will distract the threat and defend the cubs.

Adults range from about 130 to 190 centimeters (50 to 75 inches) in length

and weigh 40 to 300 kilograms (90 to 660 pounds).

Males may be from about 20 to 60 percent larger than females.

Oscar was orphaned and found digging in residents garbage cans near a tree nursery north of

Deer Park, Washington. Working in conjunction with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife,

Cat Tales staff rescued the baby Black Bear from his hiding place in a garage and brought him to the zoo.

He was immediately given a physical exam by the zoo’s Veterinarians and was placed on a special diet

plus needed medications to insure his recovery.

He is gaining weight steadily and loves his new home with real “bear food”.

It is estimated he was born in early March of 2003. When he arrived, in November 2003,

he weighted less than 25 lbs about 100 pounds less than average.

Oscar will most likely be on the small size due to the trauma he underwent early in his life.