Black Bear Facts

What does the black bear look like?

The black bear can grow to be 7 feet long!  It has small eyes, rounded ears, a long snout, a large body, a short tail, and shaggy hair.  Yes, their name says they are black, but black bear also come in  brown and sometimes even  blonde, or rarely white!

Where do they live?

The American black bear is found only in North America.  The population is estimated at 750,000. They live in forests as far south as Florida and northern Mexico and as far north as forests grow in Alaska and Canada. Black Bears find safe shelter in heavily forested areas, dense bush and wooded mountains.

Behavior:

Black bears swim well and often climb trees to feed on buds and fruit. They have a keen sense of smell, great hearing, but poor eyesight. They can be seen at any hour of the day, but are most active at night. When  these bear are very young, they cry when afraid and hum when contented. 
    

What Do They Eat?

Black bears are omnivores, like humans. Their diet consists of about 75 percent vegetable matter, 15 percent carrion, and 10 percent insects and small mammals. Some of this will include a mix of fruit, nuts, acorns, insects, succulent greens, and meat. They love  honey, and sweet, ripe corn in the fall months.

Predator or Prey?
They have few enemies, but the one they fear the most is the Grizzly. Whenever their territories overlap, the Black bear lets the Grizzly have his own space.
 

What about Hibernation?

 Black bears may hibernate up to 7 months in the north where food is scarce between September and April.  Some do not hibernate all in the south where food is available year-round, like in Virginia. 

Did you know?  Black bears can live 21-33 years or more if they are not killed.

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