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Black Bears are omnivorous mammals.
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Black Bear
Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae
Genus: Ursus
Species: Americanus
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Other Names: American Black
Bear, North American Black Bear, Cinnamon
Bear, kermode Bear, Glacier Bear,
Florida Black Bear
Size: Black bears weigh from
200 to 600 lbs. They stand 5-7 feet
tall and 2-3 feet high at their withers.
Habitat: Black bears live
in forests, but are also found in
mountains and swamps. Black bears
are found in Alaska, Canada, and most
of the U.S. into central Mexico.
Sub-species: There are an
estimated 18 subspecies of black bear
they include:
Black Bear Subspecies
Include:
Olympic Black Bear - Ursus
Americanus Altifrontalis
New Mexico Black Bear
- Ursus Americanus Amblyceps
Eastern Black Bear - Ursus
Americanus Americanus
California Black Bear - Ursus
Americanus Californiensis
Queen Charlotte Black
Bear - Ursus Americanus
Carlottae
Cinnamon Bear - Ursus Americanus
Cinnamomum
Glacier Bear - Ursus Americanus
Emmonsii
Mexican Black Bear - Ursus
Americanus Eremicus
Florida Black Bear - Ursus
Americanus Floridanus
Newfoundland Black Bear -
Ursus Americanus Hamiltoni
Kermode Bear / Spirit Bear
- Ursus Americanus Kermodei
Louisiana Black Bear -
Ursus Americanus Luteolus
West Mexican Black Bear -
Ursus Americanus Machetes
Kenai Black Bear - Ursus
Americanus Perniger
Dall Black Bear - Ursus
Americanus Pugnax
Vancouver Island Black Bear
- Ursus Americanus Vancouveri
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Territories: Black bears roam
large territories, they are not however
overly protective of their territories.
A male black bear's home range can
encompass as much as 15 - 80 square
miles. Black bears will mark their
territories by rubbing their bodies
against trees and clawing at the tree
bark.
Diet: Black bears are opportunistic
feeders. The black bears diet consists
of grasses, roots, berries, insects,
fish and mammals.
Senses: Black bears have an
excellent sense of smell, good vision
and excellent hearing.
Behavior: Black bears are
extremely adaptable. Adult black bears
are mostly nocturnal, but juvenile
black bears are often active in daytime.
Black bears are efficient hibernators,
their bodies under go metabolic changes
that allow the black bear to remain
dormant for months without eating,
drinking, urinating, or defecating.
Description: Black bears
have robust bodies, with short legs,
long snout, a short tail, and a thick
shaggy coat of fur. Black bears can
be black, blue-gray, blue-black, brown,
cinnamon, or even rarely white.
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Birth: Black bears give
birth to 2-3 cubs at a time.
The black bear cubs weigh 8
oz to 1 lb at birth, and are
about 8 inches long.
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Did
You Know?
The
largest black bear on
record weighed record
is 880 lbs and was found
in Craven County, North
Carolina.
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Gestation: Black bears carry
their young for approximately 235 days.
Cubs: Cubs are born blind
and helpless. Black bear cubs will
stay with their mother for the first
2 years of their life.
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Cubs: Cubs are born
blind and helpless. Newborn
black bear cubs are born covered
with a fine, gray, downlike
hair. Black bear cubs will stay
with their mother for the first
2 years of their life.
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Did
You Know?
Black
bears climb regularly
to feed, escape enemies
or to hibernate. Their
climbing tends to decrease
as they age.
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Sexual Maturity: Female black
bears sexually mature at 3–5 years
of age.
Life Span: The average life
span of the black bears in the wild
is about 18 years of age. In captivity
it is thought that black bears will
live much longer to about 30 years
of age or more.
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Social Structure: Black bears
are solitary with the exception
of a mother black bear and her
cubs. |
Did
You Know?
Black
bears can swim at least
a mile and a half in
fresh water.
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Athleticism: Black bears are
excellent tree climbers, when fit
they can run up to 30 mph. If black
bears are overweight they tire easily
and overheat.
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