Ursus americanus

Conservation status

Least concern

Black bears are widely distributed throughout most of North America, occurring in a variety of habitats — from coasts to mountains. They are highly adaptable, eating virtually anything that is readily available, such as new grasses, fruits, insects, newly born deer calves, carcasses or human food waste in bins. Apart from during the mating season, black bears lead solitary lives. As with most other bear species, the females give birth to tiny, blind, almost hairless offspring during the hibernation period. The clumsy bear cubs emerge from the den with their mother in the spring.