Black Bear Facts

Adult Colors, Weights & Measures:
Black bears are typically black, but there are variations into brown, and occasionally blonde. They normally have a brown muzzle. Occasionally they will have white chest patches. Eyes are brown. Wild male black bears of breeding age usually weigh between 125 and 50 pounds, depending on the age, season & food supply. Very well fed bears can be heavier. Record Black Bears found in Ontario and Manitoba have weighed 900 plus lbs. Average length is 50 to 80 inches long, nose to tail, with males being larger than females.

Sex Ratio:
Sexes are nearly 50:50 at birth. Males are killed by people at a higher rate though, so the sex ratio among mature bears is often one male per 2-5 females.

Mating Season:
Mating season is from late May to early July. Females start to breed between the ages of 2 and 11 years depending on food supply. Average is between 3 and 7 years. There is typically a 2 year interval between litters.

Cubs:
The number of cubs in a litter is usually 2 in Canada, and 3 are not uncommon depending on the food source. First litters are often only 1 or 2. Litters of 6 have been reported in several areas. Cubs weigh ½ to 1 lb. at birth. By their first fall, cubs may weigh as little as 15 pounds, or more than 165 pounds depending on food supply. They usually stay with their mother for 17 months, but can be up to 29 months. One to six days before the mothers are ready to mate in late May or June, they force their yearlings to stop traveling with them.

Senses:
Bears see in color and have good close-up vision. Hearing exceeds human frequency ranges, and probably twice as sensitive. Their smelling ability is extremely good. Their nasal mucosa area is about 100 times larger than in humans. The bear brain is relatively large compared to the body size, and is one of the more intelligent mammals. They have excellent navigation ability, & excellent long term memory.

Sounds:
Bear are usually silent. They do make a variety of grunts in friendly situations. When frightened they make a loud blowing noise, and clack their teeth. They do not threaten by growling as depicted in the movies.

Activity:
Most bears become very active a half-hour before sunrise, take a nap or two during the day, and bed down for the night an hour or two after sunset. If there is a lot of human activity, bears will become more active at night. They can run at speeds exceeding 30 mph, and run uphill, downhill, or on the level. Bears are good swimmers, able to swim at least a mile and a half in fresh water. They CAN swim to island campsites.

Food:
Black bears in NW Ontario prefer, insects, succulent greens, mushrooms & berries, including blueberries & mountain ash. Meat and less succulent greens are eaten when their preferred foods are scarce.

Hibernation:
Black bears are very highly efficient hibernators. They sleep for months without eating, drinking, urinating or defecating. The bears’ body heat is lost very slowly, enabling them to cut their metabolic rate in half and still make it through the winter. They can maintain temperatures above 88 degrees, within 12 degrees of their normal summer temperature. Mothers wake up to give birth, typically in mid to late January, and take excellent care of the cubs in the den, licking them clean and responding to every cry for warmth and milk. Hibernation length & depth is genetically matched to the regional food availability. Hibernation in the northern climates is deep and can last over 7 months, where quality food supply is available only from May through August.

Lifespan:
Black bears can live to 21-33 years or more if not killed. Nearly all adult bears die from human related causes; most shot, some killed by vehicles. The average age of death in hunted populations is three to five years of age. Very young bear can die from starvation, predators, falls from trees, or other accidental causes. There are very few that die of disease.

Home Range:
Yearlings typically range 1-2 mi.; adult females 2-6 mi. & adult males, 8-15.

Ideal Habitat:
Black bears like large forests with many different kinds of fruits and berries. Sunny openings within the forest provide many kinds of food for the bears. Lowlands and wetlands provide tender and juicy vegetation. Streams and woodland pools provide water for drinking and cooling. Mothers with cubs like large trees (over 20” in dia) with bark like pines or spruce for bedding sites. These trees are safest for small cubs to climb.

Greatest Misconception:
The greatest misconception about black bears is that they are likely to attack people in defense of cubs. They are highly unlikely to do this. Black bear researchers often capture screaming cubs in the presence of bluff-charging mothers with no attacks. Defense of cubs is a grizzly bear trait. Black bear mothers have not been know to kill anyone in defense of cubs.

Rainbow Point Lodge, Perrault Falls, Ontario, Canada.
Data compiled from sources including “Watchable Wildlife: The Black Bear” and http://www.bear.org/black_Bear_Facts.html


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