Description: American Black Bears have short fur. Their fur can be black, white, brown, or even blue! They are four to six feet long and two and a half to three feet tall at the shoulder. The black bear female weighs between 100 to 400 pounds. Males weigh 250 to 600 pounds. The black bear has a great sense of smell but poor eyesight and hearing. It also is a great tree climber. This is because it has sharp claws. It's claws are shorter and more curved than those of the grizzly bear. When climbing trees black bears usually use their front claws to keep hold.