

Maximum numbers probably occur in areas of mixed coniferous–deciduous forests, where human presence is low. Back to top Habitat and HabitsĪlthough found in a variety of habitats, the black bear prefers heavily wooded areas and dense bushland. The cry of a young cub in trouble is similar to the crying of a human baby. A female with cubs may warn them of danger with a loud woof-woof and call them in with a whining or whimpering sound.

These sounds are usually emitted when the bear is afraid or threatened. These include growls, whining, jaw snapping, and loud snorts of many kinds. Most markings are done during the breeding season in late spring or early summer.Īlthough rarely heard, the black bear has several distinct calls. Adult males use these trees most frequently, presumably to advertise their presence to potential mates or potential rivals. Some biologists nevertheless think that trees repeatedly clawed and marked by bears serve as a form of communication. The exact significance of this behaviour is still debated in the scientific community, since tree-marking is not commonly observed in every bear population. In some areas, bears have been reported to intensively mark trees using their claws and teeth. Any of these colour phases may occur in one litter, but generally all cubs in a litter are the same colour as their mother. The lighter colour phases are more common in the west and in the mountains than in the east. A unique non-albino white phase black bear population occurs on the Kermode islands, off the Pacific coast in British Colombia. Albino bears (having white fur and red eyes and noses) also occur, but they are rare. Although black is the most common colour, there are other colour phases, such as brown, dark brown, blond, cinnamon, and blue-black.
#ARE BLACK BEARS NOCTURNAL OR DAYTIME ANIMALS PATCH#
The normal colour is black with a brownish muzzle and frequently a white patch below the throat or across the chest. Females are much smaller than males, averaging 70 kg. Adult males weigh about 135 kg, although exceptionally large animals weighing over 290 kg have been recorded.

These are very strong and are used for digging and tearing out roots, stumps, and old logs when searching for food.īecause bears are compact, they often appear much heavier than they really are. Each foot has five curved claws, which the bear cannot sheathe, or hide. The tail is very short and inconspicuous.Ī black bear has feet that are well furred on which it can walk, like a human being, with the entire bottom portion of the foot touching the ground. Approximately 150 cm long and with a height at the shoulder that varies from 100 to 120 cm, an adult black bear has a moderate-sized head with a rather straight facial profile and a tapered nose with long nostrils. The black bear is a bulky and thickset mammal. Both of these species are considerably larger than the black bear. Other members of this family that occur in North America are grizzly bears and polar bears. Black bears are members of the family Ursidae, which has representatives throughout most of the northern hemisphere and in some parts of northern South America. The black bear Ursus americanus is one of the most familiar wild animals in North America today.
