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ABOUT BLACK BEARS
The American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) is the most common bear in the United States and the smallest. While it is possible that a few secretive grizzlies remain in southwest Colorado, it is increasingly doubtful with each passing year and it can be assumed that any bear you see is a black bear, regardless of its' color. The black bear population in Colorado is estimated at around 12,000 animals.
Black bears in the wild are inquisitive, phenomenally adaptive, very bright and social yet secretive. They are remarkably tolerant of people. Bears are generally shy and wary, avoiding people as much as possible-unless they have become conditioned to human food or people.
BLACK BEARS AT A GLANCE ^back to top
COLOR: In southwest Colorado, 90% of black bears are some shade of brown. They may be cinnamon, honey-colored, reddish, blonde, black or brown. Individual black bears may change color drastically from year to year, or even in a period of one month.
SIZE: Black bears average 3 feet tall when standing on all four feet and 5-6 feet tall when standing upright.
WEIGHT: On average, adult male bears weigh 275 pounds and females 175 pounds.
SENSE OF SMELL: Astounding.
EYESIGHT: Keen, similar to humans.
HEARING: Good.
ATTRIBUTES: They can run in bursts up to 35 mph, climb trees with great ease and are strong swimmers.
LIFESPAN: Black bears can live 20-25 years in the wild.
DIET AND SEASONAL HABITS ^back to top
Black bears are omnivorous, eating both plant and animal material. They are day-active feeders and are very opportunistic. Roughly 90% of a bears' diet is made up of vegetation.
In the spring when they emerge from their dens, bears travel to lower elevations to feed upon green-up - highly digestible, fresh, young vegetation. Preferring aspen habitat at this time, they are consuming 2,000-2,500 calories a day, feeding on anything from grasses, flowers, leaves, roots, ants and larvae, beetles, elk calves and deer fawns, baby birds and animal carcasses.
In late summer, like clockwork, black bears move to oak brush habitat the middle of August in search of berries and acorns. During this fall hyperfagia phase, if the food supply is there, they will feed 20 hours a day, consuming 20,000 calories and adding 2-4 pounds of fat daily for their winter hibernation. They may eat 20-30 lbs. of chokecherries (it takes 1500 to make a pound), serviceberries, squaw-apples, buffalo-berries and gambel oak acorns a day.
If their usual natural food sources are scarce, they will search for alternative food, which often brings them into conflict with people.
CUBS ^back to top
Black bear cubs are born in the den in late January and usually weigh 12 ounces. On average 2 cubs are born.
The cubs do not hibernate, feeding instead on milk from their mothers.
They will weigh 12-15 lbs. when they exit the den.
Only half of all cubs survive the first 6 months. In good food years cubs will grow to 45 lbs. their first summer and may weigh 300 lbs. just two years later. Cubs stay with their mother their first year and learn how to protect themselves, forage for food and climb trees.
Females do not reproduce until they are four to six years old. Mating occurs in June. Females carry a fertilized egg in their womb for months and delayed implantation allows the mother a way out if food is scarce. If she has not accumulated enough fat reserves by hibernation, she will reabsorb the fertilized egg rather than continue development of a fetus.
HIBERNATION ^back to top
Black bears hibernate in late October or early November. They are true hibernators in that they hibernate to deal with the winter food shortage. An abundant food supply may cause a later hibernation date but a bad food year will not cause a early hibernation date. Bears usually prepare several dens in the summer months, most commonly rock caves and will rake leaves, twigs and other plant material into the den to form a nest.
During hibernation, the bears body temperature, breathing and heart rate, and metabolism lowers severely. They do not eat, drink, urinate or defecate for the 5-6 months spent in the den. Male bears may lose between 15-30% of their body weight during hibernation, while lactating females may lose up to 40%.
Black bears emerge from their dens in late April or early May, with males emerging earlier than females by about two weeks. Weather or elevation of den sites does not seem to effect emergence dates from year to year.
BEAR SOUNDS ^back to top
Bears use the same vocalizations with humans as with other bears: jaw-popping, woofing and low grumbles. These sounds are rarely a sign of aggression, more often a signal that the bear is concerned, nervous or merely upset at what's going on. Bear cubs bawl.
CLICK TO LISTEN
BEAR SIGN ^back to top
Black bear tracks are distinctive with the hind footprint resembling a person's. Tracks show five toes, with the front print short and generally measuring four to five inches in width. The hind print measures approximately seven inches in height. Tracks do not always indicate the size of a bear and claw marks are not always visible, although commonly seen in prints in the mud.
Their scat is easily distinguishable. Bears have fairly inefficient digestive systems so most foods pass right through. In the spring, scat consists mainly of vegetation, mostly grasses. In the fall, it contains mainly berries, which are swallowed whole.
Claw marks from bears climbing trees are often found. Females teach cubs right off the bat how to climb trees for safety and bears will climb aspen trees in the spring to reach catkins, a popular early food source. Also, bears often use trees and other objects as scratching posts.
Other sign includes rocks overturned or logs torn apart, both in search of ants, larvae and other insects. Bears will often use the same trails people use.
SEE PHOTOS OF BEAR SIGN
BLACK BEAR HUNTING IN COLORADO ^back to top
Previously regarded as pests, black bears in Colorado were declared a game animal in 1935 and afforded protection under state hunting regulations. In 1992, the citizens of Colorado approved Amendment 10, which banned the spring bear hunt and outlawed the use of dogs and bait in hunting bears.
Black bears are pursued with rifle, archery equipment and black powder. The bear hunting season runs from the first week of September to the second week of November. The Division of Wildlife requires that all hunter-killed bears be presented to wildlife officers within five days and data on age, sex and location of where the bear was killed is collected. This is an effort to monitor the number of bears killed and age and sex of animals harvested by hunting.
THREATS TO BLACK BEARS ^back to top
Natural threats to bears include drought, starvation, loss of natural food sources, accidents, internal parasites, fires and other bears. Mountain lions on occasion kill small bears. Black bears are relatively disease free and have remarkable recuperative healing powers.
People are responsible for most bear deaths with automobiles, careless garbage and food handling, hunting, livestock protection, and loss of habitat being the leading causes. Colorado is rapidly losing some of its best bear habitat to home development and ski and golf resorts.
TOP BLACK BEAR PHOTO BY TOM BECK
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