American Black Bear

• Through hibernation the mother neither eats, drinks nor urinates for months.
• It feeds on emerging plants, fruit, nuts, insects, carrion and occasionally small ungulates.
• It lives in forests across much of North America, from Mexico to Canada.
• anatomíaDespite its name its coat comes in a range of colours, including brown and cinnamon and, in particular Canadian populations, an unusual creamy white (the spirit bear).

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)

Habitat and environment

Forests across much of North America, from Mexico to Canada

Birth weight

200-450 g at birth, the smallest newborn relative to adult size of any placental mammal

Size at birth

200-450 g at birth

Sexual maturity

Female: 2-9 years

Gestation / incubation

~220 days with delayed implantation (only 10 weeks of active embryonic development)

Litter / clutch size

1 to 5 young per litter (most commonly 2-3)

Life expectancy in captivity

Documented record of up to 40-45 years

Sources consulted: iNaturalist; BioKIDS; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); International Association for Bear Research and Management; Dimensions.com; A-Z Animals; Britannica

The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.