American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) – Bear of the Bruce
Did you Know?
The American Black Bear is the smallest yet most widely distributed bear species in North America They are good swimmers and tree climbers, and can run up to 55 km per hour Black Bears are extremely dexterous and have been known to manipulate door latches and open screw-top jars With the exception of mating season and while raising young, the Black Bear is a solitary animal
Photo : Wikipedia, 2008
Range – Canada, United States, and Mexico
Habitat – As exemplified by its range, the Black Bear is known to live in a variety of habitats including areas with thick understory vegetation for cover with access to large quantities of food. They can also be found in meadows, swamps, mountain areas and forests
Size – Adult males weigh between 130 and 600 lbs (usually between 130 and 350 lbs), while females weigh between 90 and 370 lbs (usually between 90 and 175 lbs)
- Note: the ranges account for pronounced seasonal variation in weight as well as Bergmann’s rule: bears from the southeast are often slightly lighter than those from the northwest
Diet – Omnivorous; diets vary greatly depending on location and season, but often include: fruit, berries, corn, grasses, nuts, buds, beetles, insect larvae, fish, and carrion
Status – S5/ Common in Ontario
The Bruce Trail Conservancy | PO Box 857 Hamilton, ON L8N 3N9 | 1.800.665.4453 | [email protected]
Identification:
Although they are called “Black Bears,” there exists a great deal of colour variation throughout their range. Approximately 70% of all Black Bears are black. Individual coat colours ranging from jet black and dark chocolate brown to white, blond, and cinnamon have been recorded.
The muzzle of the Black Bear is narrow and tan coloured. Some bears have a white “crescent moon” mark on their chests. Black Bears have small, rounded ears that are set well back on their heads. Their paws are deeply wrinkled and leathery. On their paws are inch long black or greyish-brown claws, the foreclaws being more sharply curved. Black Bears measure between 4-6 feet in length. The male Black Bear is usually much larger than the female, averaging between 40 and 175 pounds heavier.
Photos: Top: Marie Hale, 2010 Bottom: Wikipedia, 2008
Interesting Facts:
“Winnie the Pooh” was inspired by a Canadian black bear, brought to England during the First World War. Canadian Lieutenant Harry Colebourn bought the bear cub in White River, Ontario from a hunter that had killed the bear’s mother. He paid $20 for the bear and named the bear “Winnie” after his adopted hometown of Winnipeg. While fighting in France, Colebourn left the cub at the London Zoo where A. A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin Milne often visited. Christopher Robin, the basis for another character in the “Winnie the Pooh” books, named his teddy bear after the Canadian black bear cub and his father wrote stories about the boy and his bear. Today, Winnie the Pooh is an extremely successful franchise known all around the world.
The Bruce Trail Conservancy | PO Box 857 Hamilton, ON L8N 3N9 | 1.800.665.4453 | [email protected]
The northern Bruce Peninsula is home to the southern most population of Black Bears in Ontario. This population is considered to be a sub-species of other bears due to them being relatively cut-off from their relatives in other parts of the province. They are smaller in size than other Ontario bears and genetically unique and isolated due to the fact that bears on the peninsula would have to risk travelling great distances through increasingly developed areas, open country and across major highways to interact with other populations.
Black Bears on the Bruce Trail
The Bruce Trail Conservancy is continually acquiring and protecting land along the Niagara Escarpment including the Bruce Peninsula where a small population of these bears exist. The large patches of land the BTC conserves in this area contain large deciduous and mixed forests, meadows, and swamps that are perfect habitat to support Black Bears, as well as many other species. BTC ecologists, as well as many trail users and volunteers, have reported seeing bears on many of the properties that the BTC manages on the Peninsula.
Important!
If you encounter a Black Bear, stay calm and do not make any sudden movements; running may encourage a chase response by the bear. Black Bears are curious creatures and if they stand up, they probably want a better sniff. Typically Black Bears try to avoid confrontations with humans whenever possible, with the majority of attacks motivated by hunger as opposed to territoriality. If the bear slaps the ground, lunges, or chomps its jaw, it feels threatened and is attempting to scare you off. Keep children close and make sure they do not run or scream and keep pets restrained. Back away slowly from the bear, talking in a soothing voice while avoiding eye contact. Treat the animal with caution and respect. Make sure to never crowd or block the bear’s escape route, and remember bear attacks on humans are extremely rare.
The Bruce Trail Conservancy | PO Box 857 Hamilton, ON L8N 3N9 | 1.800.665.4453 | [email protected]