Black Bear - Ursus americanus
Meet Our Black Bears
Unfortunately our black bear stories are not uncommon. Black bear cubs are cute and start out little, but grow into their full wild & dangerous selves as they mature. Our black bears were orphaned wild bear cubs that were habituated and fed by humans. For this reason they were not good candidates for release as their lack of fear of humans would have brought them into populated areas. Their hunger for human food would have labeled them as nuisance bears and they faced euthanasia if we hadn't provided a space for them. Please be Bear Aware and do not feed wildlife!
|
|
Black Bear Facts
Habitat: Forested areas of North America
Lifespan: Wild 10-20 years; Captivity 15-30 years
Diet: Omnivore
Status: Least concern
Black bears live throughout most of North America, including northern Mexico. They typically live in forests and are excellent tree climbers, even sleeping in trees during the summer. They’re also found in mountains and swamps. Despite their name, black bears can be blue-gray or blue-black, brown, cinnamon, or even sometimes (rarely) white.
In addition to eating berries, roots, and salmon, black bears also prey on deer, moose, insects, and sometimes even carrion (dead animal flesh left behind by other predators). They’re not picky eaters since their goal is to store up as much body fat as possible before their winter hibernation.
In late November and early December, black bears head to their dens to sleep away the winter or hibernate. Their body temperature and heart rate are lowered, and their breathing slows down while they live off the huge amounts of body fat they stored up during the summer and fall. This way, they don’t have to leave their dens and hunt for food in the bitter cold.
Male black bears leave their dens around mid-March, but females stay a little longer. That is because they give birth around January and want to give their cubs time to nurse and grow bigger before heading back outside in the early spring. Black bear cubs stay with Mom for one to three years while she teaches them how to live in the wild. Then, when they are ready, they head off to survive in the woods alone—until they start a family of their own.
Black bears are smaller than brown bears, often called grizzlies. Black bear cubs weigh less than one pound at birth. They gain 20 to 30 pounds in three months. Excellent swimmers, black bears can paddle at least a mile and a half in freshwater. A bear’s claws can grow as long as a whiteboard eraser.
Lifespan: Wild 10-20 years; Captivity 15-30 years
Diet: Omnivore
Status: Least concern
Black bears live throughout most of North America, including northern Mexico. They typically live in forests and are excellent tree climbers, even sleeping in trees during the summer. They’re also found in mountains and swamps. Despite their name, black bears can be blue-gray or blue-black, brown, cinnamon, or even sometimes (rarely) white.
In addition to eating berries, roots, and salmon, black bears also prey on deer, moose, insects, and sometimes even carrion (dead animal flesh left behind by other predators). They’re not picky eaters since their goal is to store up as much body fat as possible before their winter hibernation.
In late November and early December, black bears head to their dens to sleep away the winter or hibernate. Their body temperature and heart rate are lowered, and their breathing slows down while they live off the huge amounts of body fat they stored up during the summer and fall. This way, they don’t have to leave their dens and hunt for food in the bitter cold.
Male black bears leave their dens around mid-March, but females stay a little longer. That is because they give birth around January and want to give their cubs time to nurse and grow bigger before heading back outside in the early spring. Black bear cubs stay with Mom for one to three years while she teaches them how to live in the wild. Then, when they are ready, they head off to survive in the woods alone—until they start a family of their own.
Black bears are smaller than brown bears, often called grizzlies. Black bear cubs weigh less than one pound at birth. They gain 20 to 30 pounds in three months. Excellent swimmers, black bears can paddle at least a mile and a half in freshwater. A bear’s claws can grow as long as a whiteboard eraser.
Section divider type: wavesOpacity --
position: top
