English: Black Bear; French: Ours noir, Baribal; Algonquin: Makwa; Apache: shash, dzi’tnde’yú, dzit yoyòto; Chipewyan: sas; Cree: muskwa; Dogrip: sah deza; Loucheux: shoh; South Slavey: sah; Spanish: Oso negro.
Former distribution: All forest areas of North America, north of central Mexico.
Present distribution: In the less settled wooded areas of North America and Mexico, with the exception of the Arctic regions and the central states and east coast areas of the USA.
Behaviour: Preferred habitat: woodlands of all landscapes. Hibernates; mainly active at night: Black Bears like to climb trees; they eat all kinds of vegetation, fish, small and bigger game, livestock and sometimes carrion. Usually solitary, except during the breeding season.
Population status: They have greatly increased in numbers as well in the USA and in Canada.
Brief notes:
Body weight: 120-220 kg
Head and body length: 150-180 cm
Tail length: 12cm
Shoulder height: 90-95 cm
Gestation period: 100-120 days
Maximum age: 25 years
Trophy: Skull record SCI: 22 4/16 score, 1981 Alaska, USA, FRED HOPPE; average 21 score. B&C: 22 6/16 score, 1970 USA, R.W. PETERSEN; average 20 score.
Hunting methods: With dogs, stalking and on a kill.
Remarks: Black Bears vary considerably in colour: i.e black, blue-black, brown, cinnamon-brown and whitish. All defined subspecies are considered as very doubtful, therefore they are not registered here.
