Fun North American Black Bear Facts For Kids

North American black bears, with the scientific name Ursus americanus, are one of the most common and widespread species of bears found throughout the United States. The North American black bear (Ursus americanus) are a gigantic species of animal, with the highest body mass ratio.

They also have a wide range of intelligence and reasoning.

North American black bears have the lowest reproductive rate, but their population is increasing due to the safeguards that have been taken up for their preservation by the North American Black Bear Center.

North American black bears are really large and often adapt to a variety of habitats, including food habits. They are often confused with grizzly bears, but in fact, even the scientific names of grizzly bears and North American black bear is different.

Let’s see how these bears interact with nature and some of the most interesting facts about North American black bear (Ursus americanus) species for you to read and enjoy. You may also check out Asiatic black bear facts and giant panda bear facts to know more about these majestic creatures.

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North American Black Bear Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a North American black bear?

A North American black bear (scientific name Ursus americanus) is a bear that is very commonly found in areas of North America. These bears are omnivores in nature and like to feed on plants, grass and meat.

Their heavy weight enables them to get hold of their prey very easily as their standing height is around 60-84 in (5-7 ft).

What class of animal does a North American black bear belong to?

North American black bears belong to the class mammal, and they are similar to other bears in this respect. They are known to give birth to their young ones with an average litter size of three babies at once. They also have extremely sharp claws which allows them to prey on many animals and hunt for food easily.

How many North American black bears are there in the world?

North American black bears are nowhere near the scope of being Extinct. Rather, their population has been increasing over the years.

Thanks to many safeguarding and preservation efforts provided to this wild animal, their population has been steadily increasing across Alaska, Canada, and Mexico. The estimated number of the North American black bear population that are present throughout the world is around 800,000 bears.

Where does a North American black bear live?

North American black bear populations are usually found in both arid and moist forests with plenty of trees. North American black bears are found almost everywhere around the continent of North America. Most commonly they are also seen everywhere stretching from Alaska, Canada, and up to northern Mexico.

What is a North American black bear's habitat?

North American black bears live in a variety of habitats in United States, Canada, and Mexico. A North American black bear habitat includes woods of deciduous forests as well as open alpine domains in British Columbia and Vancouver Island.

The only places they are known to keep away from are great plains and wide-open areas. This is to ensure safety, and make sure that there will be enough resources for them to survive. Their sharp claws render them with an excellent ability to easily climb trees.

Who do North American black bears live with?

North American black bears are not very social creatures and known to live solitarily in large areas away from humans. They are known to spend their lives alone and are seen together only for mating.

Although the mating period only happens over short intervals. They have very few known predators other than grizzly bears. Large populations of North American black bears can be found in areas of US, Canada, and Mexico.

How long does a North American black bear live?

A North American black bear is amongst some of the animals that are known to have really great lifespan, especially when compared to other animals in British Columbia. North American black bears can live for around 25 to 30 years in the wild.

North American black bears can also live for around 35 to 40 years when kept in captivity.

How do they reproduce?

Female North American black bears achieve sexual maturity around the age of three to four years, whereas the adult males aren't known to sexually mature until the age of five to six years. The preferred mating period among North American black bears starts in June and continues until August.

Females are known to have a really long gestation period of around 220 to 235 days after which they give birth to a litter of around two to three cubs, and these babies are usually born in January or February.

What is their conservation status?

As per the North American Bear Center, North American black bears are not an Endangered species. North American black bears have the conservation status of Least Concern.

The North American black bear population has also been rising since the last few years, and they are recolonizing in their preferred habitat as North American black bear hunting has been banned for several years.

North American Black Bear Fun Facts

What do North American black bears look like?

Eastern North American black bears are regarded as the most common species of bears, as they are seen abundantly in North America. North American black bears have thick coats that are usually black in color but can also be of yellow-brown, dark brown, or cinnamon color.

They have round ears, round and small eyes that are blue in color, and a large body with a short tail.

Despite their name, North American black bears might not necessarily be black in color. North American black bears are also smaller in size and darker in color when compared to grizzly bears.

How cute are they?

Although they look cute and adorable from a distance, they can also be dangerous when approached because bears can be unpredictable and can attack if triggered. North American black bears become active around half an hour before sunrise.

How do they communicate?

They communicate through their tongue-clicks and blowing.  They have their own methods of communication which uses their vital organs.

How big is a North American black bear?

North American black bears are really huge and their weight range is 90-660 lb (40-299 kg) and height range is 60-84 in (5-7 ft) when standing upright. They are really gigantic and are almost ten times the size of an average dog or cat.

How fast can a North American black bear run?

North American black bears can run really fast and are known to reach speeds of 35 mph (56 kmph) when required. Otherwise, they are laid back and lazy.

How much does a North American black bear weigh?

An adult North American black bear weighs around 90-660 lb (40-299 kg). The heaviest male North American black bear was recorded as weighing 902 lb (409 kg) back in 1972. The heaviest known female North American black bear weighed at 520 lb (235 kg) back in 1993.

What are the male and female names of the species?

As we have seen, North American black bears have definite names assigned to their male and female species. The male species of North American black bear is regarded as a boar, and the female North American black bear is known as a sow.

What would you call a baby North American black bear?

The gestation period in the case of North American black bears is really long, and their young ones or babies are called cubs. These North American black bear babies are born blind and have thick hair covering their body, and they feed on their mother’s milk when they are young.

What do they eat?

North American black bears are known for their omnivorous diet which include a variety of things such as roots, berries, plants, meat, fish, insects, larvae, grass, and other plants that they like.

They are also known to kill a number of wild animals, including deer, elk and moose. Sometimes they hunt other young animals, especially when they are small and easy to catch.

Another striking feature of their diet is that they are only known to eat meat and succulent plants in cases when there is a scarcity of the food that is preferred by them.

Are they dangerous?

No, North American black bears are usually not aggressive and are counted as timid animals. The only reason they are known to attack humans is not because they feel threatened, but because they are attracted human food.

This food can become addicting for them, and they are also known to get used to the presence of humans really quickly. The attacks on humans by North American black bears are the rarest, especially when compared to other species of bear that are found in the wild.

Would they make a good pet?

No, as we all are very familiar with the attacking nature of bears, they are not an ideal choice for pets. They are perfectly capable of killing a human being and are wild creatures who usually act unpredictably which makes them even more dangerous.

Although they are known to show love towards human beings, they are no less dangerous when in close proximity. Their diet is also a big concern and it might not be possible for a normal family to cater to their needs.

Did you know...

North American black bears have a litter size of three cubs on average, but the highest recorded till this day is six cubs.

Do North American black bears have a good sense of smell?

Absolutely yes.  They have a great sense of smell. They can be seen standing tall on their hind legs and like to sniff around any scent that comes their way.

What are black bears especially good at?

One of the many qualities of North American black bears that makes them stand out, is their swimming skills. They have great swimming and climbing skills that are aided by their claws. These claws give them a great grip on trees and other surfaces along with water.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including Alaskan malamute, or Florida panther.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one of our North American black bear coloring pages.