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BLACK BEAR

SANCTUARY WILDLIFE

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BLACK BEAR

A black bear cub perched on the branch of a tree

Ursus americanus

  • Habitat: Forests, subalpine meadows, and desert riparian areas
  • Status: Least concern
  • Population Trend: Increasing
  • Diet: Though classified as a carnivore, black bears have an omnivorous diet including roots, berries, meat, fish, insects, larvae, grass, and other succulent plants.
  • Weight: Up to 350 lbs. for males, up to 250 lbs. for females
  • Height: 3' at the shoulder, 5' - 7' standing
  • Lifespan: As they have no known predators other than humans, in the wild bears can reach 20 - 25 years; up to 30 in human care
  • Interesting Facts:
    • Considered a "master dozer" among bear species, black bears hibernate for ~100 days (depending on the region in which they live), during which the cubs are born.
    • Black bears aren't always black. They can be brown, blonde, red, even a bluish-gray.
    • Black bears have a very keen sense of smell and can smell up to 20 miles away.

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