The black bear is a North American mammal.

Classification:
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae
Genus: Ursus
Species: americanus
Common Name: American Black Bear

•An adult female bear is called a SOW. And adult male bear is called a BOAR.

•The color of black bear fur is fairly uniform except for a brown muzzle and an occasional white spot on the chest - this is referred to as 'chest blaze' which is often in the form of a 'V'.

•Their coat is BLACK in the eastern part of their range, and more generally brown or cinnamon or blond in the western part of their range (they can even be white, found mainly on Princess Royal Island in British Columbia).

•The color is thought to vary for camoflage reasons, as well as for climate and habitat considerations (i.e., black fur retains more heat than a lighter color).

•The outer shaggy fur repels water while their underfur is soft and dense, and is primarily for insulation.

•Bears molt annually, in early summer.

•The eyes of immature bears are blue, and turn brown with age.

•Their eyes are small and their sight relatively poor compared to their senses of hearing and smell.

•Cubs weigh 1/2 lb. to 1 lb. at birth. There are regional differences in their size as adults - the world record is 800 lbs. (North Carolina, 1998).

•Females are smaller and average 90-300 lbs, males average 150-600 lbs (at maturity). This varies regionally.

•They can be up to 6 ft. tall when standing on their hind legs.

•The hindquarters of a black bear are longer in proportion to their front limbs, resulting in their slow moving, lumbering gait.

•They have five non-retractible claws on each foot that give them powerful tree-climbing ability. These claws are curved and approximately one inch long, and are used for digging and tearing out roots, stumps, and old logs when searching for food.

In some areas, bears mark trees using their claws and teeth. The exact significance of this behaviour is still debated in the scientific community, since tree-marking is not commonly observed in every bear population. Some biologists think that trees repeatedly clawed and marked by bears serve as a form of communication. Adult males use these trees most frequently, presumably to advertise their presence to potential mates or potential rivals. Most markings are done during the breeding season in late spring or early summer. SOURCE: Hinterland Who's Who

•They have a keen sense of smell (a bear's sense of smell is seven times greater than a bloodhound's) and good hearing. Their ears are large and erect.

•The lips of the black bear are free from the gums, and the bear uses them and their long, agile tongue to eat such foods as tiny blueberries and ants.

•They are good swimmers.

•Don't try to outrun them, as they can run up to 30 mph in short bursts despite how awkward they may look.

•Despite being quadrupeds (a four-footed animal), bears can stand and sit similarly to humans.

•They have excellent navigational skills and can find their way back to their home range even when they have been relocated elsewhere by wildlife personnel.

•Their scent comes from the oil in their fur that is then transferred to anything it comes into contact with. They also leave their scent via their urine.

•The intelligence of black bears is thought to be on par with primates. They exhibit a high degree of curiosity and exploratory behaviors.

•They did have large tails several million years ago. Now it is a furry flap of skin less than 5 inches long.