Mammal Web Page


The Black Bear
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Carnivora
Family	Ursidae
Sub-Family	Ursinae
Genus	Ursus
Species	americanus

Description

The Black Bear has black fur, a pale muzzle, and sometimes a white chest spot. The males are 1,400 -2,000 millimeters in length, and they weigh 47-409 kilograms. The females are 200-1,600 millimeters in length, and they weigh 39-236 kilograms.

Habitat

Black Bears live in relatively inaccessible terrain. This includes thick vegetation and undergrowth, and abundant sources of food in the form of a shrub. In the west, black bears live in the mountains, elevation 900-3,000 meters.

Range

The black bear lives in north Alaska, almost all of Canada, most of the U.S. and down into some of Mexico. The bears in the west are confined to the mountains.

Food

The black bear eats mostly different shrubs and grasses, but in the summer they eat tree born fruits. Their diet also consists of some insects and various beetles. Sometimes, the bears will go "fishing", and try to catch salmon swimming upstream. There is no natural predators.

Life Cycle

The black bear's mating season is June-Mid July. The gestation period lasts for 220 days. Females usually give birth in January and February. A litter consists of 1-5 cubs, they weigh about 200 to 450 grams when they're born. The cubs are weaned at 6-8 months of age. The males reach sexual maturity at 3 or 4 years of age, and the females reach sexual maturity at 2 to 9 years.

Survival

The black bear needs proper food sources ( see Food ). They need a forest with thick vegetation as well. Also needed is an abundant water source with fish such as a river or large stream.

Interesting Facts

Black bears can run at 25 miles per hour.
Black bears are only dangerous if they're cornered or wounded

Human Impact

People hunt and trap black bears for food, fur, trophies, and clothes. Also, people accidentally run over black bears quite often. This could result in a drop of black bear population.