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American Black Bear
Scientific Name:
Urus americanis
Type:
Mammal
Habitat:
Forests, mountainous areas, scrublands, deserts, wetlands, and areas near rivers and lakes
Range:
Most of Canada and various regions in the United States and far northern Mexico
Status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)
This species is
NATIVE
to the Truckee Meadows.
Identification:
Despite their name, black bears can be many different colors. Their coats range in color from black and brown to blond and even white-blue in northern latitudes. The smallest of the three North American bear species (the other two being brown and polar bears), black bears weigh between 200 and 600 pounds. They differ in appearance to brown bears in that black bears have long ears, convex face profiles, smaller claws, and pale-colored noses.
Fast Facts:
The behavior of black bears depends on the availability of food. When food is abundant, bears will come together in groups, whereas they tend to be solitary and defensive of their territories when food is scarce.
Despite some misconceptions, black bears mostly eat fruit, nuts, insects, and plants. In preparation for hibernation, black bears will try to add up to half their body weight by eating over 20,000 calories per day
Female black bears will hibernate after giving birth to cubs. The cubs do not hibernate, instead feeding and growing from 0.5 to 11 pounds over winter.
In the Paiute language, American black bears are called Padoo'a.
Sources:
National Geographic, American Black Bear, 2021, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/a/american-black-bear/
Nevada Department of Wildlife, Black Bear, 2021, http://www.ndow.org/Species/Furbearer/Black_Bear/
Get Bear Smart Society, Know the Difference, 2021, http://www.bearsmart.com/about-bears/know-the-difference/
The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals, 1999, book.
IUCN Red List, American Black Bear, 2021, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41687/114251609
Pyramid Lake, The Paiute Language, 2021, http://www.numuinc.com/home/the-tribe/the-paiute-language/
Contributor(s):
Sarah Epstein (research & content)
Alex Shahbazi (edits & page design)