American Black Bear Facts: Habitat, Diet and Range

The American black bear is North America’s most common and widespread bear. Smaller and less aggressive than the grizzly, it is a highly adaptable omnivore that eats mostly plants. It has recovered in many areas and now lives close to people in some regions.

Interesting facts

It is the most numerous bear in the world, with an estimated 800,000 or more.
Black bears are excellent climbers and often escape danger by climbing trees.
Cubs weigh only about 200–450 g at birth, less than a can of soda.
The white Kermode or spirit bear is a black bear carrying a rare recessive gene.
In autumn, black bears may eat over 20,000 calories a day to build fat for winter.
Unlike grizzlies, black bears lack a prominent shoulder hump and have taller, more pointed ears.

Behaviour

Black bears are mostly solitary, except for mothers with cubs. They spend the winter in dens in tree cavities, under fallen logs or in caves, where their heart rate and metabolism slow dramatically. Bears that learn to find food from people can become bold and dangerous, which is why securing garbage matters.

Breeding and young

Black bears mate in summer, but the fertilised egg does not implant until autumn. Cubs, usually two or three, are born in the den in January or February and stay with their mother for about 17 months.

Threats and conservation

Black bears are secure overall. Local threats include habitat loss, road deaths, poaching for gall bladders and conflict caused by access to human food.