American Black Bear (Camera Trap Field Guide)

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

Description ³

Most Black Bears hibernate for up to seven months, and do not eat, drink, urinate, or exercise the entire time. In the South, where plant food is available all year, not all bears hibernate—but pregnant females do. The female gives birth to 1-6 cubs (usually 2 or 3) in January, while she is deep asleep in her den. Black Bears eat a little meat, and some insects, but they rely on fruit, nuts, and vegetation for the bulk of their nutritional needs.

Habitat ⁴

Black bears are most often found in areas with abundant cover and sources of food. They require places to den during the winter, which can be in caves or under large boulders or tree roots.

Conservation status ⁵

Black bears once lived throughout most of North America, but hunting and agriculture drove them into heavily forested areas. Populations surive over much of their former range in less populated wooded regions and in protected areas. They are numerous and thriving, although they continue to face threats in some areas due to habitat destruction. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

Sources and Credits

(c) okaloosascience, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by okaloosascience
(c) Arthur Chapman, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2534/3996987070_79b7167681.jpg
Adapted by okaloosascience from a work by (c) Smithsonian Institution, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/6625857
Adapted by okaloosascience from a work by (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/25067542
(c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/25067552