American Black Bears vary in length from 15,00 to 18,00 mm;
tail length is about 120 mm. Body weights vary from 92--140
kg for females land 115-270 kg for males. The most common color
phases are black, chocolate brown and cinnamon brown. Different
colors may occur in the same litter.
American Black Bear occurs mainly in forested areas. The usual
locomotion is a lumbering walk. It swims and climbs well. It
moves about at any time of day, but is mostly active at night.
Like other bears that sleep through the winter, it becomes fat
as fall approaches, and with colder weather it goes into a den,
ceases eating, and hibernates for several months. The den may
be in a hollow tree or log, or in a burrow. The winter sleep
may be interrupted by excursions for food if the weather is
warm. Hibernation begins as early as October and may last until
least 75 percent of the diet consists of vegetable matter, especially
fruit, berries, nuts, acorns, grass and roots. The diet also
includes insects, fish, rodents, carrion, and occasionally larger
of males do not overlap one another, but the ranges of females
overlapped with those of males and occasionally with those of
other females. The sexes come together briefly during mating
season, which peaks from June to mid-July. Females remain in
estrus throughout the season until they mate. They usually give
birth every other year, but sometimes wait 3-4 years. Pregnancy
lasts about 220 days, buts there is delayed implantation until
autumn. Births occur in January and February, commonly while
the female is hibernating. Litter sizes ranges from 1-5. Cubs
are weaned at around 6-8 months, but remain with the mother,
and den with her during their second winter of life.
distribution of the American Black Bear has declined substantially
with human encroachment on their territory, but they are still
common in Canada, Mexico (N Nayarit and S Tamaulipas), and USA.