american black bear
The American Black Bear (Ursus Americanus) is a medium-sized bear native to North America. Keeping the fat on tends to give the meat a strong flavor. In some areas such as the Pacific Northwest, it commonly lives at the edges of towns and suburbs where it has been known to break into storage buildings or cars in search of food. In 1822, 3,000 skins were exported from the Hudson's Bay Company. The American Black Bear is one of Far Cry 5's apex predators. Ted, the male, weighed 431–453.5 kg (950–1,000 lb) in the fall of 2006. We routinely capture black bear cubs in the presence of mothers and have never been attacked. Tongue-clicking and grunting are the most common sounds and are made in cordial situations to conspecifics, offspring and occasionally humans. American Black Bear Ursus americanus: Animal Printouts Label Me! Ben, American Black Bear Bears Animals Taz, American Black Bear . It has one of the longest hibernation periods of any bear in North America. In most of the contiguous United States, American black bears today are usually found in heavily vegetated mountainous areas, from 400 to 3,000 m (1,300 to 9,800 ft) in elevation. Coyotes (Canis latrans) and bobcat (Felix rufus) may prey on cubs. [10] From the Holocene to the present, American black bears seem to have shrunk in size,[2] but this has been disputed because of problems with dating these fossil specimens. When backcountry camping make sure to store food in an approved bear-resistant food canister. New Mexico’s black bears actually come in a variety of color phases ranging from black and brown, to cinnamon (the most common color), reddish and blonde. Throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico the American Black Bear is the most common type of bear you may find around. It is usually black with a tan muzzle and a white patch on its chest. [128][129], In British Columbia, a group of American black bears were used as guard animals to protect a marijuana plantation.[130][131]. Florida, Mexico, the Southeastern United States), only pregnant females and mothers with yearling cubs will enter hibernation. Critically endangered. The American black bear's generalist behavior allowed it to exploit a wider variety of foods and has been given as a reason why, of these three genera, it alone survived climate and vegetative changes through the last Ice Age while the other, more specialized North American predators became extinct. Approximately 18,000 American black bears were killed annually in the U.S. between 1988 and 1992. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a Page. [64][page needed] Black coats tend to predominate in moist areas such as Maine, New York, Tennessee, Michigan and western Washington. In mountainous areas, they seek southerly slopes at lower elevations for forage and move to northerly and easterly slopes at higher elevations as summer progresses. [4][page needed][38], American black bears tend to be territorial and non-gregarious in nature. Synonyms for American black bear in Free Thesaurus. Some Native American tribes,[which?] Black bears in the west may be cinnamon brown, and in parts of British Columbia and the Yukon Territory in Canada the black bear may even be silver-gray or white. CHARACTERISTICS. Cubs may squeal, bawl or scream when in distress and make a motor-like humming sound when comfortable or nursing. Hard masts become the most important part of the American black bear's diet in autumn and may even partially dictate the species' distribution. However, on occasions where they encounter Kodiak or grizzly bears, the larger two brown subspecies dominate them. Originally private owner, then surrendered. [38] The worst recorded attack occurred in May 1978, in which an American black bear killed three teenagers fishing in Algonquin Park in Canada. Black bears walk on the soles of their feet and have non-retractable claws. The American black bear can be found throughout forests in North America, from sea level to over 6,500 feet, and from northern Mexico to Alaska. Black bears will travel significant distances when food sources are scarce. American black bears are extremely adaptable and are capable of surviving in a wide variety of habitats. Despite this work, there are still many questions about black bears in the Park. The species can reach speeds of 28 to 32 mph (45 to 51 km/h) over short distances. Both sexes are promiscuous. Black bears have short, non-retractable claws that give them an excellent tree-climbing ability. At least two distinct, prime habitat types are inhabited in the Southeastern United States. Four of the eight modern bear species are habitually arboreal (the most arboreal species, the American and Asian black bears and the sun bear, being fairly closely related). [113] Wolf packs typically kill American black bears when the larger animals are in their hibernation cycle. [4][page needed], With the exception of the rare confrontation with an adult brown bear or a gray wolf pack, adult American black bears are not usually subject to natural predation. Printouts: American Black Bears are large, mostly harmless bears that live mostly in forests, but also in swamps and desert scrub. Although an adult bear is quite capable of killing a human, American black bears typically avoid confronting humans. Males try to mate with several females, but large, dominant ones may violently claim a female if another mature male comes near. Mothers with yearling cubs are seen before those with newborns. An adult male black bear can weigh up to 400 pounds, though the average male weighs about 250 pounds. 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[24] The total Canadian black bear population is between 396,000 and 476,000,[25] based on surveys taken in the mid-1990s in seven Canadian provinces, though this estimate excludes American black bear populations in New Brunswick, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan. Beginning in the late 1980s through the start of the 21st century, black bear numbers increased at a rate of two percent a year continent wide. [102][103][104] They may even hunt prey up to the size of adult female moose, which are considerably larger than themselves, by ambushing them. Diet . New Jersey, in November 2010, approved a six-day bear-hunting season in early December 2010 to slow the growth of the American black bear population. Bears . (1967) "Population characteristics and activities of black bears in Yellowstone National Park". In some parts of the world, bear gall bladders and paws are believed to have traditional medicinal value, and this has led to a lucrative market in these items - a market which ultimatley increases poaching of bears. [79], The bears enter their dens in October and November, although in the southernmost areas of their range (i.e. American black bears are highly dexterous, being capable of opening screw-top jars and manipulating door latches. [27][28] In the spring of 2019, biologists with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources confirmed documentation of an American black bear living year-round in woodlands near the town of Decorah in northeastern Iowa, believed to be the first instance of a resident black bear in Iowa since the 1880s. Auto collisions also may claim many American black bear lives annually. After a long hibernation in early spring, it is not uncommon for bears to prey on mule or deer fawns to help replenish calories. [4][page needed][38] During the fall period, American black bears may also habitually raid the nut caches of tree squirrels. Communication - Although usually silent, bears vocalize in social contexts and aggressive encounters with other species (woofs, roars, grunts, moans). The overall population of American black bears in the United States has been estimated to range between 339,000 and 465,000,[31] though this excludes populations from Alaska, Idaho, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming, whose population sizes are unknown. In The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication, Charles Darwin noted: In the nine-year Report it is stated that the bears had been seen in the zoological gardens to couple freely, but previously to 1848 most had rarely conceived. Nevertheless, threats to this iconic animal do exist. [77][78] The physiology of American black bears in the wild is closely related to that of bears in captivity. 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