In areas near human habitation they will also feed on items associated with humans, such as garbage, birdseed, and crops. They are opportunistic omnivores and will feed on a wide variety of food, including nuts, berries, roots, fruits, insects, eggs, fish, mammals, and carrion. They are found in Canada, forested parts of the United States, and northern Mexico. Habitat/DietĪmerican black bears inhabit a wide variety of forests, including open woodland, scrub forest, swampland and temperate rainforest, from sea level up to 11,000 feet. Their lifespan is approximately 25 years.
Males weigh between 130 – 500 pounds, while females are slightly smaller, weighing between 90 – 330 pounds.
They are excellent climbers, as well as being fast runners and capable swimmers. They also lack the distinctive shoulder hump of a brown bear and have shorter claws more suitable for climbing. American black bears are differentiated from brown bears by the shape of their head, which slopes in a straight line from their brow to their nose. Some of these coat variations are regional, but cubs of the same litter can range in coat color. The name “black bear” is somewhat of a misnomer, as these bears can come in a wide variety of colors from light brown to cinnamon to grey. In addition, black bears play a prominent role in many Native American cultures. Many famous bears were inspired by black bears, including the teddy bear, Winnie the Pooh, and Smokey the Bear.There are twice as many American black bears as there are all other bear species combined.Their adaptability means that they can live off of many different types of food, eating cactus fruit in the southernmost part of their range and hunting mammals in the northern part of their range. American black bears are extremely adaptable and are capable of surviving in a wide variety of habitats.Their long and sticky tongue helps them in gathering honey and berries with ease.You can find our two black bears in Bear Country to the left of Wolf Canyon.They can use their fur as insulation to reduce blood supply to their limbs during hibernation and fluff it to look more prominent against predators.Its strong curved claws help it in climbing trees and even to rip logs to acquire its prey.The American black bear has a specialized organ called the Jacobson’s organ in the roof of the mouth that enhances its taste and smell.Of the few natural predators, these include mountain lions, gray wolf packs, and brown bears. Those close to human settlements are nocturnal, while the bears inhabiting dens near the brown bears are diurnal.It adapts to water quickly and is a good swimmer.
These territorial bears demarcate their territories by clawing, biting, and rubbing on them.When threatened, they slap the ground, blow air forcefully through their nose or mouth, and snap their teeth, failing which, the bear may run towards the source and then veer away.Black bears are relatively quiet but will occasionally get noisy to signal their fellow mates.They exhibit the curiosity seen in most other bears, often sniffing and standing up on their hind legs to observe and smell their surroundings intently.
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