|
|
|
|
Welcome to CoveBear.com!
Facts About Black Bears and Maps of Where They Live
MENU
HOME
SERVICES Video Production
PRODUCTS Bear Maps Photos #1 Buy Order #1
HOLIDAYS ALL YEAR:
RESOURCES
TOPICS:
UPDATED NEWS:
FUN
TERMS
KMG:
Original Text and Photos © KMG |
Black Bear Facts, Maps, & Research |
|
AMERICAN BLACK BEAR Scientific Name: Ursus americanus Ursus means 'Bear'; americanus means 'Of America' Also called Honeypaw and Little Brother and Grandfather
See well-lit scenes of tiny 4-day-old black bears in the winter den with their mother. See how they find their dinner before their little eyes are open, see how their mother cares for them in their warm den while it is snowing outside! Very rare and unusual film of tiny newborn bears! After that, watch little black bears grow up wild and see them interact with their siblings and with their mother.
Click here to read about this most amazing DVD documentary program!
Footage of baby bears with their mother so beautiful, you just may shed a tear when you see it!
WHAT IS AN AMERICAN BLACK BEAR? "American Black Bear" is the name of this species of bear. There are sub-species of American Black Bears. One sub-species is the Louisiana Black Bear, that lives in Louisiana, western Mississippi, southern Arkansas, and eastern Texas. They once had large populations there, but in the late 1800's and early 1900's hunting, and later habitat reduction due to agriculture, have both contributed to the bear's decline there. This black bear is listed as threatened. One interested non-profit organization, the Black Bear Conservation Committee, has dedicated itself to working with Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and landowners and other concerned citizens to reclaim land for natural habitat for the bears and also for natural wildlife corridors for bears to move through. Another sub-species of American Black Bear is the Florida Black Bear, also listed as threatened. Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has worked with Defenders of Wildlife and others to get a black bear curriculum into schools in Florida and has worked hard with conservation of these bears and their habitat. Another sub-species of this bear is the Kermode Bear, also called the Spirit Bear. This black bear is white. WHERE DO AMERICAN BLACK BEARS LIVE? American Black Bears live in only one continent: North America. They are large warm-blooded mammals. Generally called just "black bears," they are a favorite of hikers and campers in state and national parks. They live mostly in forested areas of the United States (thirty-two states), northern Mexico, and Canada. They prefer dense forests, but one population in Alaska lives in the open tundra. They also live in swamps, mountains, woodlands.
BEAR MAPS © 2002-2007 KATE MARSHALL GRAPHICS, INC.
CLICK HERE FOR INFO ON MAP USAGE!
Black: 0 black bears Red: 1 - 100 black bears Light Blue: 101 - 700 black bears Orange: 701 - 4,000 black bears Blue: 4,001 - 15,000 black bears Lt. Green: 15,001 - 30,000 black bears Purple: 100,000 - 300,000 black bears Stripes: Unknown at this Time Map Sources: Kate Marshall Graphics, Inc. U.S. Wildlife Agencies Survey - Copyright April 2002 and 2006, Statistics and Map "In the Black: Status, Management, and Trade of the American Black Bear in North America" by Douglas F. Williamson - Copyright 2002; TRAFFIC North America, World Wildlife Fund, 1996 Statistics; Compiled with Permission
Maps will be updated again in 2010 by CoveBear, state by state.
WHAT DO BLACK BEARS LOOK LIKE?
American black bears have thick fur that is usually black, and their muzzle is brown or tan. Some black bears, especially in the western United States have a white V on their chests. Some black bears are not black at all. Some may be bluish black (called glacier bears), some may be brown (called cinnamon browns), and some may be white or cream (Kermode or spirit bear).
HOW BIG ARE BLACK BEARS?
Adults weigh 150 lbs. and up, although some black bears up to 800 pounds have been recorded in Louisiana and Pennsylvania, and one weighing 880 pounds in North Carolina. Adult females usually weigh up to 200 pounds, adult males usually weigh up to 650 pounds. They normally stand 3 feet tall at the shoulder on all fours. They may grow about 6 feet long They may stand six to ten feet tall upright.
HOW OLD CAN BLACK BEARS LIVE TO BE?
Black bears can live up to thirty-two years in the wild, up to twenty-seven years in captivity.
WHAT ARE SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BLACK BEARS?
Black bears love to climb trees! They sleep in trees, they eat in trees, they den in trees, and some are born in trees! They love to eat wild cherries in late summer, and in autumn they climb trees in search of nuts.
They can run up to thirty-five miles per hour in short bursts. Black bear charges are terrifying, yet most are bluffs. These bears are very elusive and secretive, and spend most of their time in the forests. They usually prefer to run away from people.
Black bears are "omnivorous" which means they eat many different types of foods. Some animals, such as tigers, eat only meat. Black bears eat tender leaves and grasses and insects in springtime, berries and fruits (called soft mast), insects and honey in the summer, and nuts (called hard mast) in the fall. In all three seasons they will also eat small animals. They have been known to attack and prey on humans.
Black bears' eyesight is very good and they can see in color. Their hearing is very good and their sense of smell is exceptional. They are very smart, and good problem-solvers. They are opportunistic, meaning they will take advantage of any situation that will get them easy food. They use their lips, teeth, and claws efficiently as tools.
Mating always takes place in summer, usually in July. Females may mate with more than one male during this time. This can result in their babies being sired by different males. If the female has cubs with her, she will not go into season, and she will not mate. For this reason, she must hide her cubs and herself in the summer, to stay away from the larger male bears that may want to mate with her. If a male bear comes into her territory in the summer, he may kill the cubs to force her into season. At times the male bear may eat the cubs that he has killed. This happens in many different kinds of animals. Another example is a lion who takes over another male's pride; he will kill all the cubs so only that his genes are in the new babies.
Female black bears can have babies after three years of age. They may have one to five cubs in one litter with two being the most common. They usually have babies every two years. The cubs stay with their mothers one and a half years, until their second summer when she chases them away. At that time, they must find their own territory, and it is at that time that they begin to live their lives alone. Black bears live with other bears only when they are a mother with cubs.
THE IMPORTANCE OF DENS AND BABY BEARS
During the winter, black bears go into a cave, or hollowed-out tree, or dirt scrape, and spend the colder months in a light sleep. During this time, they rarely eat or defecate. It is a time of semi-hibernation, when a bear is not out in the world. The mating of the previous summer results in black bear babies being born in the winter. Even though mating takes place in July, the eggs do not implant in the uterus until much later. The pregnancy lasts only 3 months, and all black bear babies are born at the end of January or the beginning of February. They spend their first three months of life inside the den with their mother. They drink rich bear milk. They venture outside with their mother in the spring, when the weather is warmer, and she teaches them throughout the year, what foods to eat, and where to find it. A black bear mother is very patient with her cubs, and they usually learn well.
THREATS TO BLACK BEARS
The biggest threats to black bears are loss of habitat, loss of foods, being hit by cars, and over-hunting (larger-than-needed quotas, poaching, etc.) Legal hunting quotas are determined through careful evaluation by each state's wildlife agency, based on current black bear population estimates in a given area and other factors. Rarely a state may need to reduce hunting quotas, should the habitat-carrying capacity or cultural carrying-capacity change. Legal hunting is the method whereby state governments reduce populations of animals that have become too large, including bears, deer, etc.
Black bears who become accustomed to handouts and garbage can become nuisance bears, can become dangerous, and can die as a result of eating people foods. Bears also may accidentally swallow people's trash such as plastic bags (which will jam their intestines causing death) and may swallow small objects such as bottle caps (which will lodge in their throats causing death). For these reasons, it is up to people to carefully manage bears, and also manage ourselves.
WHO ARE SOME FAMOUS BLACK BEARS?
The most famous black bears are: (1) The black bear that President Teddy Roosevelt refused to shoot in Mississippi, later called "Teddy's Bear" (2) Winnie the Pooh, a book about a black bear who was yellow, written by A.A. Milne in England (3) Smokey the Bear, a black bear cub rescued from a forest fire, the mascot of the Forest Service in U.S.A. (4) Star constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor (Big and Little Dippers)
U.S. states that have adopted the American Black Bear as their official state mammal are Louisiana, New Mexico, and West Virginia.
See this website for books and movies about black bears.
The following section includes maps that show populations of black bears in the United States. It also includes people who research and help black bears.
BLACK BEAR REHABILITATION AND WILD RELEASE
APPALACHIAN BEAR RESCUE (formerly Appalachian Bear Center) Rehabilitation of Orphaned and Injured Black Bears in Southern Appalachian Mountains Education About Black Bears and Regional Threats Facing Them Research of Bear Attributes That May Solve Other Environmental Problems
BLACK BEAR REINTRODUCTION TO HISTORIC RANGE AND RESEARCH
SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN FIELD BRANCH, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY University of Tennessee: Reintroduction of Black Bears in Alabama and Arkansas
BLACK BEAR CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Reintroduction of Louisiana Black Bears in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas Educational Workshops for Schools, Landowners, Hunters and the Public Development of Bear Management Plans with Local Communities Gathering of Input from All People Concerned With Bears and Land Use Serves as a Model for a Cooperative Approach to Natural Resource Management
Louisiana Black Bear Critical Habitat
Unit 1, Tensas River Basin Louisiana Black Bear Critical Habitat
Unit 2, Upper Atchafalaya River Basin Map of Louisiana Black Bear Critical Habitat
Unit 3, Lower Atchafalaya Basin Map of Louisiana Black Bear Critical Habitat Louisiana Maps Courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES Louisiana Black Bear Repatriation Project in East-Central Louisiana Working With Black Bear Conservation Committee, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, LSU, US Department of Agriculture http://www.wlf.state.la.us/apps/netgear/page1.asp
BEAR MAPS © 2002-2007 KATE MARSHALL GRAPHICS, INC.
CLICK HERE FOR INFO ON MAP USAGE!
Black: 0 black bears Red: 1 - 100 black bears Light Blue: 101 - 700 black bears Orange: 701 - 4,000 black bears Blue: 4,001 - 15,000 black bears Lt. Green: 15,001 - 30,000 black bears Purple: 100,000 - 300,000 black bears Stripes: Unknown at this Time Map Sources: Kate Marshall Graphics, Inc. U.S. Wildlife Agencies Survey - Copyright April 2002 and 2006, Statistics and Map "In the Black: Status, Management, and Trade of the American Black Bear in North America" by Douglas F. Williamson - Copyright 2002; TRAFFIC North America, World Wildlife Fund, 1996 Statistics; Compiled with Permission
Maps will be updated again in 2010 by CoveBear, state by state.
BLACK BEAR RESEARCH
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN FIELD BRANCH, LEETOWN SCIENCE CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE WILDLIFE AND TERRESTRIAL RESOURCES PROGRAM Study of Denning Black Bears with National Park Service in the Smoky Mountains Great Smoky Mountains National Park Estimating Bear Density and Genetic Diversity at Tensas River, Louisiana Survival of Nuisance Bears Released In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee Genetic Variation in Black Bears in Arkansas and Louisiana Population Ecology of Black Bears in the Okefenokee-Osceola Ecosystem, Florida and Georgia Response of Black Bears to Live Fire Weapons Training, North Carolina Assessing Black Bear Habitat, Mobile-Tensaw Delta in Alabama Black Bears and Beeyard Depredation at Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia Spacial Ecology of Black Bears Prior to Construction of Highways in North Carolina
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, MONTANA A wildlife biologist with U.S. Geological Survey, Katherine "Kate" Kendall has used remote automatic cameras at a testing location to catch bears on tape with no humans nearby. Click here to see her wild bears at the research site in the woods in Glacier National Park in Montana. Footage was gathered between 2005 and 2007. http://www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/research/KendallRemoteCameraRTvideo.htm
TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT Working with a group of private landowners, private corporations, state and federal agencies, and conservation organizations TPWD developed the "East Texas Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan 2005-2015. " This was developed in response to black bear sightings increasing in East Texas over the past few decades and interest in getting ahead of potential bear problems as bears return to Texas. Participation in study conducted by Michigan State University "Attitudes About and Opinions Toward Black Bears in East Texas" by Anita Mozillo, Jianguo (Jack) Liu, and Angela Mertig to determine attitudes toward black bears and opinions about potential bear recovery in east Texas.
ABOVE: Resident black bears in Texas are mostly located in the Trans Pecos area (dark gray); but sometimes black bears traveling through from Oklahoma, Arkansas, or Louisiana, are sighted in other areas (light gray). Copyright 2006 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Submitted by John H. Young, Mammalogist
NORTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION Study of Female Black Bear Use of Managed Forest and Agricultural Lands in Coastal North Carolina Black Bear Bait Station Survey in Western North Carolina Hard and Soft Mast Survey Report in Western North Carolina http://www.wildlife.state.nc.us/pg07_WildlifeSpeciesCon/pg7b5.htm#5
FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION Impact of Relocation on Nuisance Bears South-Central Florida Black Bear Conservation Demodicosis in the Western Ocala Black Bear Population Black Bear Movements in Aucilla Wildlife Management Area Statewide Assessment of Road Impacts on Bears in Florida Cub Survival and Ecology of Florida Black Bears in Ocala National Forest Genetic Structure and Gene Flow Among Florida Black Bear Populations http://www.wildflorida.org/bear/research.htm Other bear pages on their website: http://www.wildflorida.org/bear/links.htm http://www.wildflorida.org/bear/bearfacts.htm http://www.wildflorida.org/bear/conflicts.htm http://myfwc.com/bear/roads.htm
ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME, DIVISION OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION With University of Nevada, Reno, Kuiu Island Black Bear Population Estimation Using Biomarking and DNA Development of Approaches to Estimate Black Bear Movement Among Islands Effect of Hunting Black Bears on Kuiu Population Identifying and Evaluating Techniques for Wildlife Habitat Management in Interior Alaska Population, Genetic, and Behavioral Studies of Black Bears in Southeast Alaska Study of Human and Bear Use at Eva Creek Wildlife Research Projects Carried Out by Fish and Game Biologists to View on Website Other bear pages on their website: http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=bears.main
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - STEVENS POINT COLLEGE OF NATURAL RESOURCES WISCONSIN BLACK BEAR RESEARCH PROJECT A Demographic Comparison of a Hunted and an Unhunted Population of Black Bears in Northern Wisconsin Black Bear Reproductive Biology, Denning Biology, Habitat Use, and Movements in Northern Wisconsin Black Bear Population Dynamics, Home Range, and Habitat Use on an Island in Lake Superior Black Bear Activity, Home Range, Spring and Summer Habitat Use, and Food Habits in Northern Wisconsin Homing Tendencies of Translocated Nuisance Black Bears in Northern Wisconsin Response of Black Bears to Being Chased by Hunting Dogs www.uwsp.edu/cnr/research/blackbears
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Multi-year Black Bear Research Project to Study Denning Bears and Habitat Use - Began in 1986 Radio-Tracking Bears to Document Movements in Range Community Outreach in Black Bear Education
WEST VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES BLACK BEAR MONITORING AND RESEARCH STUDY Data Collection on Nuisance Behavior in Black Bears Monitoring Denning Black Bears with Cubs in Southern West Virginia Tracking Black Bears by Radio Telemetry in Southern West Virginia Monitoring Reproductive Rates of Black Bears in Northern West Virginia Data Collection on Hunted Black Bear
CAESAR KLEBERG WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE @ TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY MEXICAN BLACK BEAR PROJECT IN NORTHERN MEXICO Black Bear Research and Management in Mexico Studying Conflicts Between Black Bears and Humans and Livestock in Mexico Development of a Nationwide Genetic Distribution of Black Bears in Mexico
GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA @ ATHENS Development and Application of Habitat Models for Black Bears in Central and Southeast Georgia Estimation of Home Ranges and Habitat Use Patterns Development of Models for Predicting Occupancy of Black Bears in Altamaha Drainage Area http://coopunit.forestry.uga.edu/unit_homepage/Conroy/projects/dtml/bear1
This map may change soon! A recent study by University of Wisconsin shows resident black bear population estimates to be 27,000 as opposed to the previous estimate of 13,000.
BEAR MAPS © 2002-2007 KATE MARSHALL GRAPHICS, INC.
CLICK HERE FOR INFO ON MAP USAGE!
Black: 0 black bears Red: 1 - 100 black bears Light Blue: 101 - 700 black bears Orange: 701 - 4,000 black bears Blue: 4,001 - 15,000 black bears Lt. Green: 15,001 - 30,000 black bears Purple: 100,000 - 300,000 black bears Stripes: Unknown at this Time Map Sources: Kate Marshall Graphics, Inc. U.S. Wildlife Agencies Survey - Copyright April 2002 and 2006, Statistics and Map "In the Black: Status, Management, and Trade of the American Black Bear in North America" by Douglas F. Williamson - Copyright 2002; TRAFFIC North America, World Wildlife Fund, 1996 Statistics; Compiled with Permission
U.S. Maps will be updated again in 2010 by CoveBear, state by state.
Map Courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources
BLACK BEAR INFORMATION
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR BEAR RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT Sponsorship of an Educational Website and Worldwide Conferences About Bears
KATE MARSHALL GRAPHICS, INC. Educational Website Offering "Bears of the World" Information Black Bear Current News, Facts, Threats, Safety, Subspecies Black Bear Behavior Shown on Two Documentary DVD's
BEAR MAPS © 2002-2007 KATE MARSHALL GRAPHICS, INC.
CLICK HERE FOR INFO ON MAP USAGE!
Black: 0 black bears Red: 1 - 100 black bears Light Blue: 101 - 700 black bears Orange: 701 - 4,000 black bears Blue: 4,001 - 15,000 black bears Lt. Green: 15,001 - 30,000 black bears Purple: 100,000 - 300,000 black bears Stripes: Unknown at this Time Map Sources: Kate Marshall Graphics, Inc. U.S. Wildlife Agencies Survey - Copyright April 2002 and 2006, Statistics and Map "In the Black: Status, Management, and Trade of the American Black Bear in North America" by Douglas F. Williamson - Copyright 2002; TRAFFIC North America, World Wildlife Fund, 1996 Statistics; Compiled with Permission
Maps will be updated again in 2010 by CoveBear, state by state.
BLACK BEAR EDUCATION
GET BEAR SMART SOCIETY Provides "Neighborhood Bear Watch" program that included hot line, hazard assessments, canvassing Responsible for non-lethal bear management training program Develops standards and bear curriculum, and training to various agencies Produces and distributes educational materials, gives bear presentations Offers an educational website about bears
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY's BLACK BEAR EDUCATION, AWARENESS & RESEARCH PROJECT Adirondack Forest Preserve: Education of the Park Staff and Users about Black Bears www.wcs.org/sw-around_the_globe/northamerica/Adirondacks/adirondackbbear
AMERICAN BEAR ASSOCIATION VINCE SHUTE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, ORR, MINNESOTA Special Habitat for Wild Animals and People Provides a Setting for Non-Obtrusive Scientific Study Relating to the Natural Resources Within Its Boundaries
BEAR MAPS © 2002-2007 KATE MARSHALL GRAPHICS, INC.
CLICK HERE FOR INFO ON MAP USAGE!
Black: 0 black bears Red: 1 - 100 black bears Light Blue: 101 - 700 black bears Orange: 701 - 4,000 black bears Blue: 4,001 - 15,000 black bears Lt. Green: 15,001 - 30,000 black bears Purple: 100,000 - 300,000 black bears Stripes: Unknown at this Time Map Sources: Kate Marshall Graphics, Inc. U.S. Wildlife Agencies Survey - Copyright April 2002 and 2006, Statistics and Map "In the Black: Status, Management, and Trade of the American Black Bear in North America" by Douglas F. Williamson - Copyright 2002; TRAFFIC North America, World Wildlife Fund, 1996 Statistics; Compiled with Permission
Maps will be updated again in 2010 by CoveBear, state by state.
BLACK BEARS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY SAYS: "Black bears (Ursus americanus) are an important wildlife resource of the forests of Tennessee. In recent years Tennessee's bear management program has become an emerging success story. Strong enforcement of game laws and effective management techniques have resulted in increasing populations and harvests. However, the status of Tennessee’s bear population hasn't always been so healthy. Tennessee's bear population is shared with the states of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Presently, bears exist in adequate numbers in eleven Tennessee counties (Blount, Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Monroe, Polk, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington) along the eastern border of the state. The current status of Tennessee's black bear population is good. Bait station surveys, conducted annually since 1981, indicate that the population increased significantly during the 1980's. The legal harvest of bears further indicates a relatively abundant bear population. Since 1981, the legal harvest has increased from a low of 21 bears in 1982, to 370 in 1997. Some of the increase in the legal harvest can be attributed to the establishment of a 5-day October season in counties surrounding GSMNP, which was first initiated in 1987. Historically, black bears existed throughout the state of Tennessee. Dramatic land use changes resulted in the decline of black bear populations by the 1880's, with bears present only in the forested areas of the eastern part of the state. Further population declines occurred due to large scale logging and subsequent habitat destruction in the period from 1900 to 1930. Excessive hunting and trapping contributed to the decline, and by 1930 bears were present only in a few isolated areas of Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia. Prior to the 1970's, there is a general paucity of reliable information on the status of bear populations in Tennessee. The year 1973 more or less marks the beginning of Tennessee’s modern era in black bear management. This is significant because the Agency got serious about its bear management program, with increased emphasis on research and monitoring, habitat protection, and enforcement of wildlife regulations. Tennessee's bear management program has focused on three primary issues:
Law enforcement has been a key component of the bear management program for a number of years. Though black bear populations are in generally good shape in North America, the species was added to Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1991, largely because of its "look alike nature" to Asian black bears, and the difficulty in distinguishing its parts from those of other bear species."
- TWRA Website
at
http://www.state.tn.us/twra/bearmain.html
Click here to see the map for the roaming Mississippi bear tracked in 2007!
ABOVE: There are an estimated 60 black bears in Mississippi in 2006. This map shows places where bear sightings have occurred. A sighting can be by visual proof, by radio telemetry, and by bear sign. These are the subspecies Louisiana Black Bear. March 11, 2005 was an important day there: after 40 years there were wild bears born in that state! BELOW: Here is an updated black bear sightings map for Mississippi in 2007. These are places where bears have been seen.
Copyright Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks; Submitted by Brad W. Young, Black Bear Biologist.
Click here to return to American Black Bear Click here to go to Black Bear #1 DVD Click here to go to Black Bear #2 DVD Click here to go to Black Bear #3 DVD Click here to go to Black Bear #4 DVD
KMG is not responsible for errors in information, but accuracy is our goal.
www.CoveBear.com Our Text, Photos and Products © KMG 1992-2010 Our Website Content and Design © KMG 2001-2010 All Rights Reserved by Kate Marshall Graphics, Inc.
|
|
