American black bear (Ursus americanus)

American black bear

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The American black bear (Ursus americanus), also known as the black bear or sometimes baribal, is a species of medium-sized bear endemic to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most widely distributed bear species. The American black bear is an omnivore, with its diet varying greatly depending on season and location. It typically lives in largely forested areas, but will leave forests in search of food, and is sometimes attracted to human communities due to the immediate availability of food.

Habitat

Black bears live throughout most of North America, including northern Mexico. They typically live in forests and are excellent tree climbers, even sleeping in trees during the summer. They are also found in mountains and swamps.

Diet

Black bears are omnivores that eat mostly plants, such as grasses, roots, berries, and fruits. They also eat insects, fish, mammals, honeycomb, and human foods and garbage when available. Though classified as carnivores, black bears have an omnivorous diet. In spring they consume emerging plants and carcasses of animals that died during the winter. Fruits dominate the diet in summer, and both fruit and mast, especially acorns and beechnuts, constitute most of the fall diet. As opportunistic feeders, black bears will also eat pine cones, roots, ants, and honey from wild or domestic bees.

See also

• National Black Bear Day

External links

• American black bear Wikipedia
• Black bear Britannica