The black bear (Ursus americanus), also known as the American black bear, is one of the most common and iconic bear species in North America, especially Canada and in the United States. It is also very likely that you have seen it represented in several famous films or series of American origin. In this PlanetAnimal sheet, you can learn more details and curious facts about this large land mammal. Read on to learn all about the black bear's origins, appearance, behavior, and breeding.Happy reading!
Origin
- America
- Canada
- United States
Origin of the black bear
As mentioned in the introduction, the black bear is a species of land mammal in the family Ursidae, native to North America. Its population ranges from northern Canada and Alaska to the Sierra Gorda region of Mexico, including the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States. The greatest concentration of individuals is found in the forests and mountainous regions of Canada and the United States, where it is a protected species. In Mexican territory, populations are rarer and generally limited to the mountainous regions of the north of the country.
The species was first described in 1780 by Peter Simon Pallas, a German zoologist and botanist. Today, 16 subspecies of American black bears are recognized and, oddly enough, not all of them have black fur.Let's briefly review the 16 subspecies of black bears that live in North America:
- Ursus americanus altifrontalis: It lives in the North and West Pacific, from British Columbia to northern Idaho.
- Ursus americanus amblyceps: Found in Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Utah and northern Mexico.
- Ursus americanus americanus: It inhabits the eastern regions of the Atlantic Ocean, from southern and eastern Canada and Alaska, to southern Texas.
- Ursus americanus californiansis: It extends through the Central Valley of California and southern Oregon.
- Ursus americanus carlottae: It lives only in Alaska.
- Ursus americanus cinnamomum: It lives in the United States, in the states of Idaho, western Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon and Utah.
- Ursus americanus emmonsii: Found only in southeast Alaska.
- Ursus americanus eremicus: Its population is limited to northeastern Mexico.
- Ursus americanus floridanus: It lives in the states of Florida, Georgia and southern Alabama.
- Ursus americanus hamiltoni: It is an endemic subspecies of the island of Newfoundland.
- Ursus americanus kermodei: It lives on the central coast of British Columbia.
- Ursus americanus luteolus: It is a typical species of eastern Texas, Louisiana and southern Mississippi.
- Ursus americanus machetes: It lives only in Mexico
- Ursus americanus perniger: It is an endemic species of the Kenai Peninsula (Alaska).
- Ursus americanus pugnax: This bear only lives in the Alexander Archipelago (Alaska).
- Ursus americanus vancouveri: It lives only on Vancouver Island, Canada.
Appearance and physical characteristics of the black bear
With its 16 subspecies, the black bear is one of the most morphologically diverse bear species. Generally speaking, it is a large and hardy bear, although it is much smaller than brown bears and polar bears. Adult black bears are usually between 1.4 and 2 meters long and their height at the withers is between 1 and 1.3 meters.
Black bear weight can vary greatly depending on subspecies, sex, age, and time of year. Females can weigh from 40 to 180 kg, while males weigh from 70 to 280 kg. In general, these bears reach their maximum weight in the fall, when they must consume a large amount of food to prepare for winter.
Their head has a straight facial profile, with small brown eyes, a pointed muzzle and rounded ears. The body reveals a rectangular profile, being slightly longer than tall, with hind legs significantly longer than the front legs (about 15 cm difference).The long and strong hind legs allow the black bear to stand firmly and walk in a bipedal position, which is a very striking feature of these mammals. Thanks to its powerful claws, the black bear can also dig and climb trees very easily. When it comes to fur, not all black bear subspecies feature black coats. Throughout North America, subspecies with brown, reddish, chocolate, blonde, and even cream or whitish fur can be seen.
Black Bear Behavior
Despite its large size and robustness, the black bear is very agile and precise when hunting. It can also climb tall trees in the forests that populate North America to escape possible threats or rest quietly. Its movements are characteristic of a plantigrade mammal, that is, it rests the soles of its feet entirely on the ground when it walks.They are also good swimmers and often cross large bodies of water to move between islands in an archipelago or between the mainland and an island.
Thanks to its strength, powerful claws, speed and well-developed senses, the black bear is an excellent hunter who can catch prey of different sizes. It often consumes everything from termites and small insects to rodents, deer, trout, salmon, and crabs. Eventually, these bears may also take advantage of carrion left by other predators or eat eggs to supplement their protein intake. However, vegetables make up about 70% of the content of their omnivorous diet, consuming a huge amount of herbs, berries, fruits, and pine nuts. They also like honey and are able to climb tall trees to get it.
In the fall, these large mammals dramatically increase their food intake, as they need to obtain sufficient energy reserves to maintain a balanced metabolism through the winter.However, black bears do not hibernate, but rather maintain a kind of winter sleep, during which their body temperature drops only a few degrees, while the animal sleeps for long periods in its cave.
Reproduction of the black bear
The black bear is a solitary animal that only comes together as a couple when the mating season arrives, which takes place between the months of May and August, during the spring and summer months. northern hemisphere summer. In general, males reach sexual maturity from their third year of life, while females do so between their second and ninth year of life.
Like other types of bears, the black bear is a viviparous animal, which means that the fertilization and the development of the young take place inside the belly of the females. Black bears have delayed fertilization and embryos only begin to develop about ten weeks after copulation, to prevent cubs from being born in the fall.The gestation period in this species extends over six or seven months, at the end of which the female will give birth to one or two young, which are born hairless, with their eyes closed and weigh an average of 200 to 400 grams.
The little ones will be breastfed by their mother until they are eight months old, after which they will start to eat solid foods. However, they will stay with their mother for the first two or three years of their life, until they reach sexual maturity and are fully prepared to live on their own. Their natural life expectancy can vary between 10 and 30 years.
Black Bear Conservation Status
According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the black bear is considered of least concern, mainly due to the extent of its habitat in North America, the low presence of natural predators and protection initiatives. However, the black bear population has declined significantly over the past two centuries, primarily due to hunting.It is estimated that around 30,000 individuals are hunted each year, mainly in Canada and Alaska, although this activity is legally regulated and the species is protected.
Pictures of Black Bear
