| Adult Length |
50 to 80
inches, nose to tail, depending on sex, availability of food,
and genetics. |
| Adult Weight |
Males: 125
to 500 pounds common, depending upon age, season, and food. Record:
816 pounds;
Females: 90 to 300 pounds common. Record: 454 pounds; Captive
bears may exceed these weights. |
| Black Bear
Intelligence |
One of the
more intelligent mammals. Can generalize to the simple concept
level. Long-term memory excellent. Heaviest brain, relative to
body length, of any land carnivore. |
| Age at Reproduction
of 1st Cubs |
Generally
3 years but can be 2 to 8 years, depending upon food supply. |
| Colour |
Body fur
black, brown, cinnamon, blonde, or rarely white. Brown muzzle.
White chest fairly common in Ontario. Eyes brown (blue at birth).
Skin light gray. |
Estimated Number of
Black Bears in Ontario |
75,000-100,000 |
| Cubs Birth
Month |
January. |
| Cubs Birth
Weight |
250 to 500
grams (1/2 to 1 pound) |
| Cubs Weight
at 1 year |
7 kg (15
pounds) to more than 60kg (100 pounds), depending upon food supply. |
| Cub Litter
Size |
2 to 4 cubs
is normal depending on maturity and health of the female bear
at time of implantation. Record is 6 cubs. |
| Daily Activity
Period |
Typically
1/2 hour before sunrise to 1 to 2 hours after sunset. May become
nocturnal to avoid people. |
| Hibernation |
In Ontario,
2 to 7 months depending upon latitude and food supply. |
| Identification
of Nursing Female Black Bears |
Obvious
breast development and small cubs are generally in very close
approximate. |
| Interval
Between Litters |
2 to 4 years,
depending upon food supply. May reproduce in consecutive years
if a litter dies before the mating season. |
| Life Span |
21 - 33
years or more |
| Habitat |
Forest areas
with a variety of fruit- and nut-producing species. Forest openings
promote fruiting of many shrub species. Lowlands and wetlands
are important sources of succulent vegetation. Streams and pools
are needed for drinking and cooling. Larger trees as refuges
for spring cubs. |
| Home Range
Area Diameter |
Yearlings:
2-4 km (1-2 miles). Adult females: 4-10 km (2-6 miles). Adult
males: 15-30 km (8-15 miles). Excursions over 200 km (125 miles). |
| Mating Season |
Late May
to early July. Occasionally longer. |
Mortality
Causes - Adults
(2 years or older) |
Hunting,
road kills, and other human-related causes. Starvation. Fights
or predation by larger Black Bears. Unsuccessful predation on
large animals. Very few Black Bears die of disease |
| Mortality
Cause - Cubs and yearlings |
Starvation,
predation, falls from trees, road-kills, etc. Predation by other
Black Bears. Predation by other animals. Few bears die of disease. |
| Parental
Care |
17 months
(rarely 29 months), ending in June when mothers become ready
to mate again. |
| Preferred
Foods |
Fruit, nuts,
acorns, insects, succulent greens, and meat. Less preferred foods
may cause weight loss. |
| Running
Speed |
Lean Black
Bears may exceed 45 km/hour (30 miles/hour). Runs well down hill
or up hill. Climbing speed in trees is also very fast.
Fat Bears tire and overheat quickly. |
| Senses-Hearing |
Exceeds
human frequency range and sensitivity. |
| Senses-Smell |
One hundred
times more nasal mucosa area than a human. Smelling ability is
extremely good. Approximately 5 times more sensitive than dogs
but the limits of Black Bears' sense of smell have not been tested. |
| Senses-Vision |
Color vision.
Good near vision. Untested distance vision. |
| Sex Ratio |
Nearly even
at birth. Mature bears: 1 male per 2-5 females. |
| Sounds |
Grunts,
loud blowing, and a resonant "voice." Does not threaten
by growling. Stress or threat sound is is like a stuttering cry |
| Swimming
Distance |
At least
3km (1.5 miles) |
| Number of people in Ontario
recorded killed by black bears since 1916 |
Seven |
| Famous Black Bears |
Smokey the Bear, Winnie
the Pooh (Originally
a resident of White River Ontario) , the teddy bear |