D E S C R I P T I O N
Black bears are large-bodied animals with square heads, powerful limbs, round, erect ears and a short tail. Their soft, glossy coat is black, except for a long, brown muzzle and, sometimes, a white chest patch. Bears have a powerful, barrel-shaped body. They shuffle with a flat-footed gait, an elbow sticking out, looking pigeon-toed and bowlegged. However, they can run up to 30 miles per hour for short distances, climb easily and swim well. Bears are extremely agile for their size, sometimes standing erect to smell or see better. Bears communicate with various facial and body expressions. They also whine, snort, roar, bawl and snap their teeth. They are near-sighted, but have a keen sense of smell. Bears vary in size, with adult males (boars) generally beinglarger, from 5 to 6 feet long, three feet at the shoulder, and 300 to 600 pounds. Females (sows) are generally 4 to 5 feet long, 21/2 feet high and 150 to 200 pounds. Bears have five clawed toes on each foot and teeth that enable them to eat almost anything, from ants to zinnias.

THE LIFE OF A BLACK BEAR
In North Carolina, female black bears as young as 3 years old can produce their first litter of cubs, and every other year after that. Mating occurs from June through August, but development of embryos does not begin until November or December. One to five cubs are bornDecember through February while the females are denning. Newborns, which weigh from 6 to 12 ounces at birth, have pink skin covered with fine, dark hair. Cubs are helpless at birth, and remain in the den, nursing. After one month, their eyes open, and at two months, they begin to walk. They leave the den in three months, and are weaned by seven months. Bears traveling in groups in the fall are usually females with cubs. Playful cubs splash in water and wrestle with their litter mates. Young bears stay near their mother for protection for about 16 months, and will den with her for their second winter. The family disbands the following summer when the female is ready to breed again.

When bears emerge from their winter sleep in March or April, they are very hungry. They will feed on almost anything including garbage, bird seed in feeders, grease on a backyard grill, or pet food. Do not feed them or allow them to eat garbage or anything other than wild foods. Bears are most likely to look for human food May through early July because wild foods are less plentiful.

Bears prefer berries, nuts, insects, carrion and roots. When wild food is scarce, or when bears are traveling to new territory, they may visit populated areas in search of food. Keeping human food away from bears helps them settle in natural areas, instead of becoming pests that may ultimately need to be destroyed.

In May and June, 1-year-old bears leave their mothers. The yearlings may wander through populated areas in search of new habitat. They pose no danger to humans, unless provoked or tamed by feeding. Keep all forms of human and pet food away from them, or they will not disperse naturally.

Bears prefer mature forests or areas with thick cover and plenty of berries and nuts, but some North Carolina bears live near developed areas, if people tolerate them. Each adult bear establishes a home range, which is not an exclusive territory but rather a familiar area where the bear spends most of its time. Although ranges overlap, bears usually avoid direct contact with each other. Bears usually travel and feed by day, and are most active at dawn and dusk. They are active at night if covering long distances or looking for food in areas frequented by humans.

After the family unit breaks up, each yearling female establishes a home range near its mother’s home range. Males disperse, moving up to 60 miles from their rearing home range, to establish new territories.

June through August is breeding season for bears. Males wander long distances pursuing mates, and young males avoid older males. Wandering bears do not remain in settled areas unless people allow them to eat human food.

During late summer and early fall, bears feed nearly constantly to fatten up for the winter. They prefer acorns, other nuts and fruits, but will visit fields of corn, peanuts and other crops.

In North Carolina, black bears den in November or December. Dens can be hollow trees, rock crevices or piles of leaves on the ground. Denning bears fall in and out of a deep sleep, but they can be roused quickly. A bear’s body temperature drops about 10 degrees, and breathing and heart rate decline. Bears recycle their bodily wastes into protein during denning, but they lose fat weight steadily over the winter. On warm, late-winter days, bears may emerge to look for food. They leave the den for the new year in March or April.

IF YOU SEE A BEAR . . .
Try to stay calm. Bears live in many North Carolina counties, and they are not usually dangerous unless humans feed or provoke them. Enjoy this rare chance from a distance. The bear in your backyard may be dispersing through your neighborhood or searching for a mate. It will not stay in a settled area unless it finds food. Keep children nearby. Keep pets locked up. Don’t approach a bear. If it changes its natural behavior (feeding, foraging or movement) because of your presence, you are too close. Never surround or corner a bear. If you happen to meet a bear at close range, back away slowly and make lots of noise.

Never feed bears or any wild animals, even if they look hungry or tame. Feeding bears teaches them to seek out human food and garbage. Bears that get used to human foods are much more dangerous than wild bears, and sometimes have to be killed. If a bear seems tame, stay well away, and warn others of the danger.

Take extra precautions not to feed bears accidentally —bears are attracted to garbage, food scraps, pet food and many other forms of human food. Keep such foods locked away from bears in strong, safe places.