American Black Bear
Scientific Name:Ursus americanus
Black bears are usually black in color, particularly in eastern North America. They typically have a pale muzzle that contrasts with their darker fur and may sometimes have a white chest spot. Western populations are usually lighter in color, more often brown, cinnamon, or blonde. Some populations in coastal British Columbia and Alaska are creamy white or bluish gray.
Though rarely seen by most New Yorkers, black bears are valued by hunters, photographers, and wildlife watchers. Many people enjoy just knowing that bears are present in New York. For many, black bears symbolize wilderness and wildness, but increasingly, bears can be found in semi-rural environments, agricultural areas, and occasionally in urban centers. Black bears are an important and natural component of New York’s ecosystem.
Whether you live or recreate in bear country, please help maintain and protect the bears. At the same time, protect yourself and your property by not feeding bears and by reducing bear attractants.
Adult size: 4.5 to 5 feet long and 2-3 ft high at shoulders; approximately 5-6 feet tall when standing on hind legs
Weight: 200-600 lbs for adult males; 150-250 lbs for adult females; 4-10 lbs as cubs emerging from den; less than 1 lb at birth
Life span: can live approximately 10 years in the wild, the average age of harvested bears in New York is 5 years old
Maturity: 6 years for males; 2-5 years for females
Litter size: 2-3 cubs (up to 5 have been reported)
Fun Fact
Black bears are the only wild bear species in the eastern United States. In New York, they are the second largest mammal in New York (moose are the largest). The largest black bear reported in New York was 750 lbs and the oldest was 42.
Diet
Black bears are omnivores and eat a variety of foods, including grasses, insects, soft mast like fruits and berries, and hard mast such as acorns and nuts. They may also feed on agricultural crops such as corn and honey. Bears sometimes eat deer, either killing young or injured deer if the opportunity arises or feeding on roadkill.
Bears may also utilize anthropogenic food sources, including bird feeders and compost. It is illegal in New York to feed bears during the hunting season, and feeding is prohibited around buildings, roads, campsites, and other areas of human activity.
Habitat
Bears can be found in many different habitats, including deciduous, evergreen, and mixed forests, as well as fields, meadows, wetlands, agricultural fields, and even suburban and urban areas. One reason black bear populations have bounced back from very low numbers is their ability to adapt and take advantage of diverse resources and use different land covers.
Behavior
Bears are generally solitary animals. Exceptions include when females have cubs or during breeding. However, bears may be found in the same vicinity when resources are concentrated. The size of home ranges varies, with males generally having larger home ranges than females. While males have ranges of movement of approximately 3–4 miles, females typically travel 2–3 miles. Juvenile bears may travel hundreds of miles when dispersing from their mother to establish their own home ranges. Bears typically avoid highways and areas of high traffic, although they may use dirt roads as movement corridors.
Black bears are generally shy and avoid people. When feeling threatened, they may bluff charge or climb a tree for safety. Female bears are protective of their cubs and may be more aggressive.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Mating occurs from May to September. Male bears reach sexual maturity around age 6, while females mature earlier. Bears are polygamous, meaning both sexes may mate with multiple partners. Gestation is 60–70 days, but implantation of the fertilized egg onto the uterus is delayed until the fall so that the female has a chance to find enough food during the fall to support herself and her cubs when they are born in January.
Females den in late fall (October–November) before males (November–December), although the timing depends on weather and food availability. Offspring usually stay with their mother for about 1.5 years, denning with her the winter after they are born. Females can therefore breed every other year.
Population Status
There are a minimum of 6,000 to 8,000 bears in New York State: approximately 4,000–5,000 in the Northern bear range and about 2,000 in the Southern bear range. Their populations have been expanding in numbers and distribution throughout their statewide range since the 1950s.
Viewing
Bears can be observed from spring to late fall. They may sometimes be observed in the winter too, when they occasionally emerge from their dens when disturbed or in search of food. They have been documented eating icicles outside their dens! (Because of this winter activity, black bears are not considered true hibernators.)
Range
The core populations in New York are in the northern and Adirondack region, Taconics and Rensselaer Plateau, and the southern zone (from Catskills spanning the south-central part of the state through the Southern Tier).
Although transient and dispersing bears may be found throughout New York State, black bears are mostly absent from parts of the Hudson Valley, NYC, Long Island, and some central, north-central, and northwest counties, as well as the northernmost parts of the Lake Plains and St. Lawrence regions.
For more information on Black bear in New York please visit the NYSDEC page here.