Ursus americanus americanus

Locally common

Forests, swamps, wooded areas.

Head and body: 5′ to 6′

This is a large, common though rarely seen, solitary, omnivorous mammal. It is usually 5″ to 6″ in length, 2″ to 3″ in height at the shoulders, and weighs 200 to 475 or more pounds. The male is much larger than the female. In Minnesota it is usually black with a pale brown muzzle and usually a small white chest spot.

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.

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.

Subspecies
There are eight subspecies of black bear. Only one, Ursus americanus americanus, occurs in Minnesota.

Population
According to the Minnesota DNR, there are about 30,000 American black bear in the state.