The Black Bear - Information, Conservation, and Bear/Human Safety Instruction This section of our web site is dedicated to The "Black Bear Enthusiasts" who wish to learn
more about the habitat and conservation of the American Black Bear. We offer inforation here and links to other
sites on how you can be a part of the wonderful causes that Rusticdecorations.net wishes to support. As Cabin owners
based in the natural habitat of these creatures, we believe that it's our responsibility to show our interest
and support for these extraordinary creatures and the valued institutions that so desperately need our help. There
is some very good information on safety for both bears and humans. We hope you enjoy the information we offer
here and be sure to watch the video on Black Bears.
Black Bear Conservation: To conserve
habitat for wild species and prevent their extinction or reduction in range is a priority of a great many groups
that cannot be easily characterized in terms of any one ideology.
The Black Bear is:
The world's most common
and adaptable bear, the black bear uses its versatile arsenal of adaptations to inhabit varied landscapes throughout North
America.
Physical
Description: American black bears usually have black coats. In western North America, cinnamon-,
blond-, and honey-colored bears occur, while white- and bluish- gray-coated animals are found along Canada's Pacific coast.
On some animals, a white blaze punctuates the chest. Dexterous toes and lips and a long tongue enable American black bears
to gather berries and insects they dig up after ripping open rotting logs or honey combs with their strong, curved claws.
Size:
American black bears vary in size depending on sex, food availability and quality, and other factors. Male black
bears may grow 20 to 60 percent larger than females, and can grow more than six feet long and weigh up to 650 pounds. Females
rarely reach that length, and do not weigh more than 175 pounds. Black bears stand around three feet tall at the shoulder.
Geographic Distribution:
American black bears range from Alaska and much of Canada south to mountains in northern Mexico. Historically, they
did not inhabit southwestern deserts. Today, they are also gone from large parts of the central and eastern U.S.
Status:
Unlike
the other seven bear species, many American black bear populations are thriving. Only the isolated Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi
populations are listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. However, other unlisted but scattered populations,
such as those in Florida, are vulnerable to poaching, habitat loss, and roadkill deaths. Some estimates put the continent's
black bear population at about a half million.
Habitat:
Highly adaptable and with varied food tastes, the American black bear inhabits a wide range of habitats, including
arid scrub, southern swamps, and dense coniferous and deciduous forests.
Natural Diet:
The American black bear's diet
is varied, but mostly vegetarian, including twigs, roots, berries, young plants, and buds. Insects—from beetles to ants
to bee larvae eaten with honey—are also important. Small mammals and fish augment the diet, when they are easily caught.
Reproduction: American black
bears mate during the early summer months. Females mature after three to four years, and usually give birth to two cubs, every
other year. Young are born in mid-winter in the female's den, and stay with their mothers for about a year (including
up to five months in the winter den). Although slow breeders, American black bears reproduce faster than brown bears, which
helps them sustain hunting and other pressures.
Life
Span:
American black bears live up to 32 years in the wild. The Zoo's famous Smokey the
Bear lived to about 27 years.
Behavior:
In late summer and fall, American black bears wander far and wide searching for high-protein foods such as acorns.
They build fat layers, then retreat to a den, dead tree, or thicket to sleep during colder months (or days in warmer, southern
areas). Most American black bears are crepuscular—active around dawn and dusk. In areas of heavy hunting, however, they
adapt to nighttime hours. American black bears, except for females with young, generally forage alone. Adult males do not
tolerate other bears, except during breeding season. Females tolerate other bears except for unrelated females.
A Few American Black Bear Neighbors:
Brown bear (Ursus arctos): In the West, this bear competes for food, and is an occasional
predator of black bears.
Bobcat (Lynx rufus): A widespread, lanky
house-cat-sized predator that stalks birds, rodents, and other small animals. Bobcats live in a variety of habitats, from
forest to marsh to scrub.
Moose (Alces alces): In the north and
west, American black bears often share habitat with the largest North American deer. Rarely, the bears catch and eat young
moose.
Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos): A mighty, predominantly
western, winged predator that hunts rabbits, marmots, and other small animals, and rarely young deer.
Eastern
chipmunk (Tamias striatus): A small forest rodent that, like the American black bear, often seeks acorns and
other forest plant matter. Farther west, the eastern chipmunk's shoes are filled by 20 other species of small mammals.
Fun Facts:
Every year or two, a few wandering bears, mostly young males, reach
the Washington, D.C., area—which lies some 60 miles from the nearest bear enclaves!
American black bear
fur adorns the tall hats of Britain's famed Buckingham Palace guards.
If You Encounter A Bear
Black bears are not normally aggressive, but like all wild animals, they will attack if provoked.
Unprovoked attacks on humans are extremely rare throughout the species’ range. Most attacks have occurred when humans
surprised, cornered or otherwise threatened the animals. A female with cubs is defensive and can be dangerously aggressive
if she perceives that her young are threatened. Bear cubs should never be approached, even if the adult female is not observed
she will probably not be far from her young.
In a confrontational situation, humans should appear as large as
possible by holding their arms out, identify themselves by making noise, and move upwind of the bear. It is important to remain
calm and retreat as soon as possible, especially if cubs are present. Bears that confront humans will often rear on their
hind legs to get a better view or smell. This is not aggressive behavior. Humans should not climb trees to escape from black
bears, as bears are agile climbers. Natural barriers that block bear movement and allow quick escapes should be used instead.
Do not run, bears can reach 35 mph and can easily outrun a person. Running can also trigger the bear’s chase instinct.
If attacked, fight back aggressively. Bears will be less likely to continue an attack if they experience enough resistance.
In threatening situations, bears can be sprayed in the face with capsaicin-based “pepper spray,” available in
small pressurized canisters that can be easily carried in a pocket, pack or belt holster. Pepper spray is a strong irritant
that reportedly debilitates aggressive bears by burning the mucous membranes of their eyes, nose, and throat. The effects
of the spray are temporary and provide an opportunity for a person to move away from a bear to a safer location. Individuals
who work or recreate in bear habitat should consider carrying this product if the likelihood of a bear encounter is high.
However, it is important to understand how to use spray properly and not to incapacitate yourself accidentally (e.g. high
winds in opposite direction).
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INSTRUCTION ON BEST PRACTICES FOR BECOMING A BEAR WISE COMMUNITY Communities can play an active role in reducing human-bear conflict through: - Assisting the Ministry of Natural Resources in delivering a proactive
education and awareness program
- Reviewing community waste management practices
- Implementing proactive measures to reduce the likelihood of bears being attracted into the community.
Communities are encouraged to work with local MNR offices to draft Community Bear Hazard Assessments and develop
appropriate Bear Wise Community Action Plans. Education and Awareness Communities can play a vital role in assisting MNR to educate all sectors of the community about becoming "Bear
Wise." MNR has produced a variety of communications materials which are available for communities to download from the
internet. Some ways that communities can actively participate include: - Assisting in distributing Bear Wise communications materials through community newsletters;
- Inserting materials in tax notices or other community mailouts.
- Hosting public information
meetings and workshops with MNR's assistance.
- Providing Bear Wise information and safety
tips at municipal offices, chambers of commerce and local tourist information centres.
- Providing
a link to MNR's Bear Wise information on Community and Municipal web sites.
- Ensuring residents
are aware of any community bylaws or best practices on waste management (e.g. keeping garbage secured until morning of pick-up,
implementation of extended operating hours at landfills etc.)
Managing Greenspaces
and Wildlife Corridors Communities should consider how managing greenspaces and wildlife
corridors can help to reduce the potential for bears to be attracted into the community. Community planners can consider: - Locating and maintaining greenspaces and trails
so they do not provide a continuous wildlife corridor between forested land and residential areas.
- Clearing
brush away from school yards and children's play areas.
- Planning new housing developments
so that greenspaces are not contiguous, while allowing for wildlife travel corridors around the community.
- Not planting fruit-bearing trees such as Crab Apples or Mountain Ash which could attract bears.
Best Practices for Waste Management Communities can play a vital
role in reducing the number of human-bear conflicts by not allowing bears to become conditioned to humans and their food.
Communities play an important role in ensuring their waste management practices do not contribute to the problem. There are a variety of available options to reduce the likelihood of bears being attracted by household garbage and
other domestic waste. These strategies have been adopted by various North American communities, either on a voluntary or mandatory
basis. Best Practices for Waste Management can include: - Restricting curb-side placement of garbage and recycling to the morning
of pick-up.
- Modifying garbage collection schedules to allow residents to put their garbage
out the morning of pick-up (e.g. begin pick-up no earlier than 8:00 a.m.).
- Modifying or extending
operating hours at landfill sites to make it more convenient for residents to dispose of their garbage on a regular basis.
- Considering the use of community bear-resistant dumpsters instead of curb-side garbage collection
in areas which are prone to bear problems.
- Promoting the use of bear resistant waste containers
by residents in areas prone to bear problems.
- Promoting or requiring the use of bear
resistant dumpsters by commercial businesses which produce food waste.
- Ensuring community composting
programs are designed so they will not result in increased bear problems; placing compost in a bear-resistant enclosure using
electric or chain-link fencing.
- Developing community guidelines for appropriate waste management
procedures at special community events, particularly outdoor events where food is being served.
Best Practices for Community Landfills Black bears are naturally attracted
to domestic landfill sites. There are mixed views on whether bears should be discouraged from landfills. On one hand, some
communities welcome bears as a tourist attraction, and fear that excluding them from landfills may actually result in an increase
in problems in near-by residential areas as bears look for alternate food sources. On the other hand, allowing bears to access
landfill sites conditions the animals to seek human sources of food, and may also increase the possibility of the same bears
wandering into neighbouring residential areas. Some communities have identified that bears frequenting landfill sites may
pose a safety concern for their employees or for the public. Communities may wish to discourage
bears from their landfill site using one of the following methods: - Cover domestic garbage daily to limit the possibility of attracting bears
- Install
permanent electric fencing to prohibit access by black bears to landfills (See "Guidelines for the Installation of Electric
Fence for Excluding Black Bears").
- Install temporary or portable electric fencing around
the area of active operation to separate bears from people.
- Place bear-resistant dumpsters
at landfill sites for the public to drop off their waste. These can be emptied regularly and will serve to keep the public
away from the active operating area of the landfill, helping to address safety concerns. Locate the dumpsters so that the
public can access them when the landfill site is locked, to allow residents to dispose of their garbage regularly.
Note: Any measures to exclude bears from landfill sites must be accompanied by a proactive
education and awareness program to ensure non-natural food attractants will not attract bears into residential areas. Other Considerations for Reducing Human-Bear Conflicts Individual
residents also have a responsibility to reduce attractants. One resident leaving garbage or pet food outside can cause bear
problems for the entire neighbourhood. Municipalities may wish to consider encouraging their residents to be Bear Wise, or
even drafting appropriate by-laws to reduce human-bear conflict. - Consider by-laws to support actions identified under Best Practices for Waste Management.
- Encourage
the installation of electric fencing or other appropriate considerations around apiaries, orchards, gardens etc.
- Consider existing or new property standard bylaws to regulate the removal of attractants (storing garbage outside).
- Discourage the intentional feeding of wildlife (e.g. birdfeeders) which may also attract bears.
Black Bear Enthusiasts...Don't Miss This One!
Black Bears - young and old
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