Black Bear Flashcards
What is the scientific name of the American black bear?
Ursus americanus
What is the smallest bear in North America?
The American black bear
What four alternate colors can an American black bear be?
Cinnamon, white, blonde, or blue.
What is a white black bear called?
A spirit bear.
How do you distinguish a black bear from a grizzly bear?
A black bear is smaller, has longer ears, and smaller shoulder humps.
How long are North American black bears?
6 feet
How much do North American black bears weigh?
Between 175 and 600 pounds.
When do North American black bears breed?
During the summer.
What is the gestation period of a black bear?
220 days.
How many cubs do North american black bears have?
2
How much do black bears weigh at birth?
1 pound.
How long do black bears stay with their mother?
1 year.
What age do black bears reach sexual maturity at and which sex reaches it earlier?
3 years. Females reach it earlier.
At what age do male black bears stop growing?
12
Why do black bears over the age of twelve rarely fight?
They are large enough to dominate other males without fighting.
True or false? The lifespan of a wild black bear is 15 years.
False. We do not know what it is.
What is the maximum age of a captive black bear?
30 years.
What is the range and habitat of the North American black bear?
It is found throughout the North American continent in forest, scrubland, and swamps.
What do wild black bears eat?
Vegetation, twigs, leaves, berries, fish, insects, and mammals.
Why are bears considered a pest in some areas?
They root through and tear apart garbage.
How do North American black bears communicate?
They make movements with their body and face, vocalize, and scent mark things.
Are American black bears solitary?
Yes.
True or false? The male American black bear will not tolerate the female outside of the breeding season.
True.
What are the two times when black bears gather?
When there is abundant food in an area or when they are breeding.
When are black bears most active?
The early morning and the evening.
Why might a black bear change its activity to nocturnal?
It may live in an area where bears are heavily hunted.
Why does a North American black bear use its strong claws for?
Tearing open bark and climbing trees.
True or false? Black bears can see in color.
True.
How many black bears are in the United States?
500,000
What is an example of a state where the North American black bear is listed as threatened?
Florida, Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
What are some threats to the North american black bear?
Habitat loss, illegal hunting, and vehicle accidents.
What age do wild black bears rarely live past?
10
How long ago did the common ancestor of the three American bears split apart?
5 million years ago.
True or false? The North American black bear is more closely related to the brown bear than it is the Himalayan black bear.
False.
What is the Hopi Indian word for the the black bear?
Hoonaw.
Are black bears found in Mexico? What is their conservation status?
Yes they are. Endangered.
Who created the black bear in Native American lore? What about the grizzly bear?
Black bear was created by the great spirit. Grizzly bear was created by an evil spirit.
Who was Morris Mitchom?
The creator of the teddy bear.
True or false? Smokey the Bear is based on a black bear cub.
True.
Are black bears aggressive toward humans?
Rarely. They are usually defending their cubs when doing so.
What medicinal purpose was black bear fat originally marketed for?
Preventing hair loss.
How many pounds do black bears put on to get them through hibernation?
30 pounds.
What month do black bears enter their dens?
October.
How low does the heart rate of a black bear drop during hibernation?
8 beats per minute.
True or false? Black bears sometimes wake up and forage for food during hibernation.
True.
How long do black bears hibernate for in months?
3 - 5
