Black Bear Facts
Did you know black bears have the ability to smell 7 times greater than a dog and the ability to see greater than a human? As you focus your lens on a black bear, chances are they already know you are there. They will stand up on two hind legs when challenging another bear, to look larger, grunt, bellow or roar showing his dominance. If you happen to see or hearing one bear challenge another, these grunts and roars will send a chill up your spine. Watching them in their natural habitat playing with sticks, fishing and eating berries will show you their endearing side. With Natures Photo Adventures you will have plenty of black bear viewing and black bear photography opportunities in their natural habitat.
There are more than one black bear species, American Black Bear and Asian Black Bear. American Black Bears are located in parts of North American and considered the smallest and widespread geographically of all the bear species. You may think you need to fear these black furry animals but you may be surprised to learn, over 85 % of their diet is on tree buds, berries, roots, ants, honey. They will eat trout, catfish and salmon. They will also at times hunt and eat moose calves, white tailed deer and caribou and rodents.
Black Bears can be found in forested areas. Due to humans interference residing in their habitat many black bears can be found a garbage dump sites. Black Bears have a large bear population size, being twice that of all other bear species combined. They are territorial and will mark their territory with claw marks and urination. They typically live and roam alone. Its ability to adapt during the years of climate change has contributed to the healthy populations of black bears today.
Asian and American Black Bears are the most closely related to each other compared to the other bear species. The will mate with other bear species including grizzly bears, reproducing a hybrid offspring. There are a number of sub-species of black bears today including the Olympic Black Bear in British Columbia, Canada, New Mexico Black Bear, and California Black Bear. Located in Utah, and Montana it is home to Cinnamon Bear, named for its reddish brown fur.
Black Bears live an average lifespan of 18 years. They are sure footed and can run up to speeds of 50 km/ hour. They are intelligent and great problem solvers, with the ability to open jars, doors and other obstacles when searching for food. Females sexually mature between 3-5 years old and have 1-2 cubs on average and can have as many as six in a litter. Female bears are the main provider and raise their young without the male. Females tend to have more slender and pointed face compared to male bears. They have black or dark brown claws.
They enter the dens around October and the November months due to cold climate to hibernate. Metabolic changes in their bodies allow black bears to remain dormant for months without eating, drinking, urinating, or defecating. They will emerge in spring with warmer weather and be 30% larger in size when they emerge from the den after hibernating. Adult males can weigh 500 Lbs and females 375 Lbs. They can be completely black, with white bellies, reddish, cinnamon, blonde, light brown looking very similar to the grizzly bear. Their fur can have a variety of colour combinations. American black bear skins can be distinguished from those of Asiatic black bears by the lack of a white mark on the chin and hairier footpads.
With your Bear Photography Tour we have a team of professional bear habitat experts to ensure your bear vacation is safe and enriching. Read more about the Black Bear Photo Tour.