North American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
-Despite the name, black bear fur can range from pure white to cinnamon-brown, to black
-Black bears are the most commonly distributed bears: across the U.S., Alaska, and northern Mexico
-They have short claws which they use as avid climbers
-Males weigh an average of 150-300 pounds (some 500-600), and females are smaller
-Average lifespan in the wild is 10 years but they can live upwards of 30 years!
-Hibernation is a specialized, seasonal reduction in metabolism concurrent with scarce food and cold weather. Most black bears in the wild hibernate depending on local weather conditions and availability of food during the winter months.
-In regions where there is a consistent supply of food and warmer weather throughout winter, bears may not hibernate at all or do so for a brief time. In our zoo, our bears do not fully hibernate but they do nap more and move more slowly.
-A black bear’s sense of smell can be measured in miles. It is estimated that their sense of smell is 7 times greater than that of a bloodhound!
-Omnivorous: they consume both plant and animal matter
Plant: roots, vegetation, berries
Animal: meats, fishes, insects
Other: they love honey and they even root through human garbage!
-Mating Season: May-June
-Offspring: typically 2 cubs in the winter den that will stay with the mother for 2 years
HERE AT ALAMEDA:
The large male you see is named 'Tiny' and the smaller female is 'Winnie'. These bears love to search for peanut butter and monkey biscuits hidden all over their enclosure! Sometimes Tiny will come to the front of the cage when you call him over.
Ursus americanus
-Despite the name, black bear fur can range from pure white to cinnamon-brown, to black
-Black bears are the most commonly distributed bears: across the U.S., Alaska, and northern Mexico
-They have short claws which they use as avid climbers
-Males weigh an average of 150-300 pounds (some 500-600), and females are smaller
-Average lifespan in the wild is 10 years but they can live upwards of 30 years!
-Hibernation is a specialized, seasonal reduction in metabolism concurrent with scarce food and cold weather. Most black bears in the wild hibernate depending on local weather conditions and availability of food during the winter months.
-In regions where there is a consistent supply of food and warmer weather throughout winter, bears may not hibernate at all or do so for a brief time. In our zoo, our bears do not fully hibernate but they do nap more and move more slowly.
-A black bear’s sense of smell can be measured in miles. It is estimated that their sense of smell is 7 times greater than that of a bloodhound!
-Omnivorous: they consume both plant and animal matter
Plant: roots, vegetation, berries
Animal: meats, fishes, insects
Other: they love honey and they even root through human garbage!
-Mating Season: May-June
-Offspring: typically 2 cubs in the winter den that will stay with the mother for 2 years
HERE AT ALAMEDA:
The large male you see is named 'Tiny' and the smaller female is 'Winnie'. These bears love to search for peanut butter and monkey biscuits hidden all over their enclosure! Sometimes Tiny will come to the front of the cage when you call him over.