American Black Bear

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

Eats

Around 75% of their food comes from plants, but black bears are opportunistic omnivores and eat animals as well. Nuts and acorns make up a large part of their fall diet. Black bears regularly eat insects and dead animals and occasionally kill and eat small animals like rabbits, squirrels, and fawns.

Lives

Black bears are North America's most familiar and common bears. They typically live in forests and are excellent tree climbers, but are also found in mountains and swamps. Black bears are found throughout much of Virginia and in 41 states, Canada, and Mexico. They are most often found in wooded areas with nut-producing trees.

Behavior

Black bears are solitary, but not territorial. They hibernate for up to 6 months out of the year, during the winter months to avoid the cold weather and lack of available food. During hibernation they do not eat, drink, or expel waste, living completely off of the fat they gained during the previous fall. They den in hollow trees or logs, under the root mass of a tree, in rock crevices, or even high in a tree in warmer climates.

Description

Black bears, despite their name, can be blue-gray or blue-black, brown, cinnamon, blonde, or even (very rarely) white. They have dense, shaggy fur that helps protect them from cold winters. Black bears use their strong, curved claws to climb trees and dig for food. They are a smaller bear species compared to grizzly and brown bears.

Did you Know?

Did you know that not all black bears are black? On the west coast, black bears can be brown, blonde, or even white!

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Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Endangered
Endangered
Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered
Extinct in the Wild
Extinct in the Wild
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