American black bear
(Ursus americanus)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
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Description |
American black bear is a large, common though rarely seen, solitary, omnivorous mammal. It is usually In Minnesota the black bear is usually black with a pale brown muzzle and usually a small white chest spot. About six percent of the bears in Minnesota are “non-black” color morphs (Rounds, 1987). These can be brown, cinnamon, or yellowish brown, and can occur within populations and even within litters. |
Size |
Head and body: 5′ to 6′ |
Sign |
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Similar Species |
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Habitat |
Forests, swamps, wooded areas. |
Biology |
Behavior |
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Lifespan |
18 to 23 years or more |
Life Cycle |
Male territories overlap those of several females. Breeding takes place in June and July. Females give birth usually every 2 years, sometimes waiting 3 or 4 years. The gestation period is about 220 days. A litter of 1 to 5, usually 2 or 3, cubs ar born in January or February when the female is in hibernation. The cubs remain with their mother about 17 months, sharing her den in their second winter. Lifespan in the wild can be up to 30 years, but average lifespan is 10 years due to interaction with humans, including hunting. |
Food |
Inner tree bark, grasses, and forbs in the spring; nuts, roots, berries, grasses, buds, colonial insects, beetles, small mammals, carrion, fish, and garbage in summer and fall; nothing in the winter. |
Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 7/15/2024 | ||
Occurrence |
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Locally common There are about 20,000 American black bears in the state. |
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Taxonomy |
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Class |
Mammalia (mammals) |
Subclass |
Theria |
Infraclass |
Eutheria (placental mammals) |
Magnorder |
Boreoeutheria |
Superorder |
Laurasiatheria (ungulates, carnivorans, and allies) |
Order |
Carnivora (carnivorans) |
Suborder |
Caniformia (dog-like carnivores) |
Family |
Ursidae (bears) |
Subfamily |
Ursinae (typical bears) |
Genus |
Ursus (holarctic bears) |
Subordinate Taxa |
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California black bear (Ursus americanus californiensis) cinnamon bear (Ursus americanus cinnamomum) Dall black bear (Ursus americanus pugnax) East Mexican black bear (Ursus americanus eremicus) Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus) glacier bear (Ursus americanus emmonsii) Kenai black bear (Ursus americanus perniger) Kermode bear (Ursus americanus kermodei) Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus) Minnesota black bear, eastern black bear (Ursus americanus americanus) New Foundland bear (Ursus americanus hamiltoni) New Mexico black bear (Ursus americanus amblyceps) Olympic black bear (Ursus americanus altifrontalis) Queen Charlotte black bear (Ursus americanus carlottae) Vancouver black bear (Ursus americanus vancouveri) West Mexico black bear (Ursus americanus machetes) |
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Synonyms |
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Euarctos americanus Euarctos vitabilis Ursus amplidens Ursus optimus |
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Common Names |
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American black bear eastern black bear |
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Visitor Photos |
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Luciearl |
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This is from two years ago in June. Mama bear's triplets were sleeping in the big red pine near our deck. She laid on our stairs waiting for them to wake up. |
Dan W. Andree |
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Black Bear Spotted... Bears have been spotted in my area over the past few years or so, but this was my first encounter with one. I was coming down a hill at Frenchman’s Bluff SNA when I noticed it. It wasn’t aggressive just curious. It just stared at me panting due to the heat and humidity that day so I filmed it and made this image from a frame grab. It eventually just took off into some woods at the edge of the prairie and disappeared. Felt fortunate to see one in a nice setting too. |
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Bobbi Johnson |
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Ramona Abrego |
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Wild bear on Gunflint Trail … |
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Wild bear on Gunflint Trail … |
… and one captive bear at Wildlife Science Center | |
Christa Rittberg |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Brown color morph — Captive bear at North American Bear Center |
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Slideshows |
Black Bear |
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About
Ursus americanus Bears I have seen (only one as of 5/5/09) |
Ursus americanus (American Black Bear) |
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Black Bears |
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Black Bears |
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Visitor Videos |
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Other Videos |
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North American Black Bear - Ursus americanus - YouTube |
About
Published on Sep 8, 2012 Adult males black bears weigh between 57--250 kg (130--550 lb), while females weigh about 41--170 kg (90--370 lb) We found this black bear along Hardy Creek in British Columbia doing what bears do, searching for anything to eat. Berries at first and then on to the main course kokanee (sockeye) salmon fresh from the stream. . Up to 85% of the black bear's diet consists of vegetation. The majority of the black bear's animal diet consists of insects such as bees, yellow-jackets, ants and their larvae. Black bears will fish for salmon during the night, as their black fur is easily spotted by salmon in the daytime. We were truly lucky to witness this bear so close to us foraging for food. The total Canadian black bear population is between 396,000 and 476,000. Black bears rarely attack when confronted by humans, and usually limit themselves to making mock charges, emitting blowing noises and swatting the ground with their forepaws. However, 23 people were killed by black bears between 1900 to 1980. |
Black Bears at the American Bear Association - Orr, Minnesota |
About
Published on Mar 7, 2012 "Best place in North America to view wild bears" Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary has preserved a unique opportunity to view and to photograph the intimate world of the normally reclusive black bear. Around 80+ black bears visit the sanctuary each season, including large boars, sows with cubs, yearlings and sub-adults. The American Bear Association offer a variety of scheduled workshops (as well as private) to photograph this normally shy and reclusive animal. Nestled in the North Woods of Minnesota, the Sanctuary consists of 360 acres of forested land located approximately two hours northwest of Duluth. Check us out online at http://www.americanbear.org or visit the black bears in their natural behavior! |
Visitor Sightings |
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Report a sighting of this mammal. |
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This button not working for you? |
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Dan W. Andree |
Location: Frenchman’s Bluff SNA Bears have been spotted in my area over the past few years or so, but this was my first encounter with one. I was coming down a hill at Frenchman’s Bluff SNA when I noticed it. It wasn’t aggressive just curious. It just stared at me panting due to the heat and humidity that day so I filmed it and made this image from a frame grab. It eventually just took off into some woods at the edge of the prairie and disappeared. Felt fortunate to see one in a nice setting too. |
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| Findley 4/15/2023 |
Location: Zumbrota looked dark brown. It looked like it was a „larger“ cub sitting by electrical box between my house. I went to get my mail & just stared at me. Then saw it run across street into a small wooded area. It was NOT a dog, possum, raccoon-a bear cub |
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| Luciearl June 2022 |
Location: Lake Shore This is from two years ago in June. Mama bear's triplets were sleeping in the big red pine near our deck. She laid on our stairs waiting for them to wake up. |
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| Ramona Abrego | Location: Gunflint Trail |
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| Ramona Abrego | Location: Wildlife Science Center |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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