American Black Bear
Ursus americana
Size: Approximately 5' tall. Males are significantly larger than females.
Weight: 200-500 lbs.
Diet: Listed in the order Carnivora, but is actually an omnivore. Eat bulbs, berries, shoots, nuts, insects, grubs, fish, small animals and some larger prey. Also eat carrion (dead animal remains). Will eat refuse when available, so campers must seal all food and trash containers.
Range: Northern Canada all the way south to Northern Mexico
Habitat: Meadows, forests, swamps and wooded mountains.
Life Span: up to 32 years.
Status: In most areas numbers are declining due to loss of habitat.
Locomotion: Lumber on all four legs but capable of running up to 30 mph if necessary. Able to stand on hind legs for short periods to reach food overheard. Can also swim and climb trees.
Socialization: Solitary and inhabit individual territories (usually 2-15 sq. miles; males' territories are larger and may be up to 55 sq.miles). Most active at night, but sometimes seen during the day.
Breeding/Reproduction: Mating season is late spring - early summer. 1-2 cubs are born during December-January after 180-250 days gestation. Babies are born weighing ½ pound and almost naked. Cubs stay with their mother for 2 years.
Miscellaneous: Bears have extremely long claws on their front feet for digging and overturning large rocks. Males also use their claws to mark trees by scraping the bark. A bear's claws can prove more dangerous than their bite since they can make powerful swats to protect themselves.
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