Most of their diet is made up of insects, nuts, berries, grasses and other vegetation, according to the IBA.īlack bears are not active predators and only hunt when an opportunity for prey presents itself. What do black bears eat?īlack bears are omnivores and eat both plants and animals, with a wide diet that varies depending on their location and the time of year. Playing dead doesn't fool black bears (although it might work with brown bears), so if a victim is unable to escape to a car or another secure location, they should use whatever objects are available and strike the bear in its face and muzzle. If attacked by a black bear, a victim should fight back. The NPS recommends that people keep their distance from wild bears and avoid surprising them. Related: Hiking in bear country? How to prevent an attack Predatory attacks occur when a bear attacks a human they see as prey. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Wildlife Management found that most fatal black bear attacks are caused by predatory male black bears. and Canada since 1900, compared to 84 killed by brown bears, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History. Seventy-eight people have been killed by black bears in the U.S. However, bears occasionally attack to defend their cubs or food, and on extremely rare occasions kill humans to eat them. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Are black bears dangerous?īears don't normally harm humans and often avoid encounters with people. Black bears also live so far north that their range overlaps with polar bears along the northern coastlines of Canada, such as in Ontario and Québec, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).Ī black bear with a freshly caught salmon in its mouth in Alaska. states such as Alaska, Washington and Idaho. Black bears are usually found in coniferous and deciduous forests, but their broad diet enables them to also use other types of habitat, including open alpine areas, according to The National Wildlife Federation.īrown bears live in the western region of the black bears' range, including western Canada and U.S. states and every province in Canada except Prince Edward Island, according to the IBA. Where do black bears live?īlack bears range from northern Mexico, through the U.S., to northern Canada. Toe prints are more separated and arced in black bear tracks than brown bear tracks, and claw marks are closer to the foot pad (when they are visible). Black bear claws are also more curved than brown bear claws and appear in bear tracks less often. Their front claws are less than 2 inches (5 centimeters) long and are shorter than brown bear claws, which are 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) long. Size: 3 feet (0.9 meters) tall at the shoulder (all fours)īlack bears also have straighter faces than brown bears when viewed from the side, and have taller, more oval-shaped ears, according to the NPS.
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