Black Bear, ursus americanus

BLACK BEAR (ursus americanus)

Their colouration ranges from black to brown to cinnamon

to the rare colours of grayish-blue or creamy white (The Kermode Bear is a white Black Bear and lives in very few

areas of the British Columbia Coast). Black bears have large round ears and a long nose; their hind end appears to be

higher than their front end. Black bear are good climbers, swimmers and runners (up to 25 miles/40 km per hour).

Male Black Bear can reach six feet/1.9 m tall (standing on hind legs)

and weigh from 130 to 600 pounds. Males live about 25 years.

Mature female Black Bear weigh between 125 to 250 pounds. Mother bears start

with their first offspring at age three to five years and have between one to four cubs

every two or more years over their 20-year life span.

In the Spring (April-May), Black Bear can be seen eating the lush new growth of vegetation

along the road side, or turning over rocks along the oceanfront in search of small

crabs and eels. Later in Summer, the Bears usually move inland to eat the ripening

berries.

Late Summer (August/September) and early Fall (October) their diet changes again to

consist mainly of fresh fish caught in spawning streams and rivers. This is an exciting

viewing time as the bears are eating as much as possible in order to store body fat in preparation for hibernation.

Black Bear are very abundant in the North Island Region giving you ample viewing opportunities.Please help keep our bear popuation healthy by meticulously cleaning up

any area you visit and please do not feed the bear.

For the ultimate experience, why not organize a group and hike with a local naturalist

who will take you all into the woods to experience and learn all about the habitat and nature

of this animal.