![]() ![]() 1920x804px landscape, valley, lake, forest, colorscape, sunset, elk, deer.7680x4320px silhouette of bear illustration, silhouette photo of deer and bear under golden hour.Wild areas with little human footprint will remain the most important habitat for bears, but peaceful coexistence can occur in the urban-wildland interface as long as humans take the necessary steps to assure that the relationship remains a positive one. The key to successful coexistence between humans and bears is to recognize that it is no longer possible for either species to occupy all habitats, but that where co-occupancy is possible and desirable, humans must be responsible for the welfare of the bear population. Since bears are large and strong animals, many people fear them and resent the damage they can cause. In areas with human populations, this can cause conflicts because bears are very attracted to human foods and refuse, as well as to livestock and livestock foods. Habitats in western Texas, from which black bears were extirpated, are now being recolonized.Ĭonservation efforts for black bears have been effective and, in most areas, black bears are increasing and can sustain managed sport hunting. The American black bear is not currently a species of conservation concern and even the formerly listed black bear of Florida and Louisiana is now increasing. Black bears can live up to 30 years in the wild, but most die before they are in their early 20s. A black bear litter can have one to five cubs, but most commonly litters contain two cubs. The following spring, when the cubs are one and a half years old, the cubs and female will separate and the female will breed again. The cubs are born in the mother's winter den, and will den with her again the following winter. In years when food supplies are scarce, a female may skip an additional year or two between litters. ![]() Females give birth to cubs every other year if food sources are sufficiently plentiful. ![]() Delayed implantation allows the female to not waste fat reserves and energy in sustaining a pregnancy that would have little chance of success because her condition is too poor. This process of delayed implantation occurs in all bear species and allows the female bear’s body to physiologically “assess” her condition before implantation occurs and the period of gestation leading to the birth of cubs really begins. Following fertilization, the embryo doesn’t implant in the uterus until fall, at the time of den entrance. A large male black bear can exceed 600 pounds in weight, while females seldom exceed 200 pounds.īlack bears are typically solitary creatures, except for family (a female with cubs) groups and during mating season, which peaks in May and June. All bears, including black bears, are sexually dimorphic-meaning adult males are much larger than adult females. Typically adults are three feet tall at the shoulder, and their length from nose to tail is about 75 inches. Grizzly bears have larger shoulder humps and a more dished-in facial profile and much longer front claws that are evident in the tracks.īlack bears in some areas where food is scarce are much smaller than in other areas where food is abundant. Black bears have longer and less rounded ears and a more straight profile from forehead to nose compared to grizzly bears. Black bears and grizzly bears can both have a wide variety of colors and sizes, but most commonly in areas where both species occur, black bears are smaller and darker than grizzly bears. There are several ways to tell a black bear from a grizzly bear. They have a short, inconspicuous tail, longish ears, a relatively straight profile from nose to forehead, and small, dark eyes. Some bears have a white patch on their chests. There are also black bears with light blue-gray fur found in southeastern Alaska known as “glacier bears.” Some bears in the island archipelago in southern British Columbia even have white fur and are known as “spirit bears” by some Indigenous cultures of the region for whom these bears have cultural significance.ĭespite these genetic variants, most of the bears in any region are black in color. Not all black bears are black-some are brown or a rusty cinnamon color.
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