Black Bears

American black bear
  (Ursus americanus)
Subspecies 16 subspecies
Life span 20-25 years
Size
Body length: 130-190cm
Weight:
male: 60-300kg,
female: 40-80kg.
Males are 20 to 60 per cent heavier than females.
Physical Appearance
Black bears tend to be a uniform black colour, but there are also brown, pale blue (glacier bear) and white varieties (kermode bear). They are short-haired and medium-sized, often with a small white patch on the chest.
Distribution
American black bears inhabit Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Habitat
They are thought to avoid open areas due to the risk of attack from brown bears and prefer forested areas.
Diet
Black bears mostly feed on plant matter, such as grasses, herbs, fruits, berries, honey, nuts and seeds, but a small percentage of their diet is made up of animals, such as insects, fish, small mammals, carcasses and rubbish.
Social organization and behaviour
Black bears are solitary except for mothers with cubs, couples during the mating season and aggregations at feeding sites. Female territory size can be 10-40 square km. Male territories are larger and overlap with those of females.

American black bears were previously thought to be nocturnal but recent studies suggest that their activity patterns change according to food supply. In spring, bears weigh little after their winter sleep, so they conserve energy by only eating part of the time and resting for the majority of the time (most active at dawn and dusk). In summer food is plentiful so they may also be active during the day. In autumn food is also abundant, plus bears need to put on weight before winter, so they are active day and night and spend the majority of their time eating.

Black bears are skilled tree climbers and can run at speeds of 25 miles per hour. They have poor eyesight and hearing, but have a good sense of smell.
Reproduction
American black bears mate in June-July and females give birth from January to February. They typically produce 2-3 (but up to 5) cubs after a gestation period of 215 days. The cubs remain with their mother for about 2.5 years, watching and copying everything she does.
Conservation/status
American black bears are not listed by the IUCN and are on CITES: Appendix II. They are the most common species of bears, although individual populations are at risk of isolation and starvation. An estimated 30,000 individuals are hunted and killed annually in North America, mostly for trophy.