Animal of the Month

1. Black bears are North America's most familiar and common bear. They arrived there about 500,000 years ago. They evolved in Asia, thousands of years earlier, from a branch of the dog family.
2. Black bears typically live in forests and are excellent tree climbers, but they are also found in mountains and swamps. However, they are thought to avoid open areas because of the risk of attack from brown bears, so they prefer forested areas.
3. In spite of their name, black bears can be blue-gray, blue-black, brown, cinnamon, or even white.
4. Black bears are described as shy and gentle animals. They are also known to be empathetic, playful, joyful, social and fearful. They are rarely aggressive and would rather avoid humans and their homes.
5. Mother black bears are extremely protective of their cubs, who stay with their mothers for about two years.
6. Black bears are very intelligent. They have outstanding long-term memory, and their navigation ability is considered greater than that of humans. Black bears often share friendships, security and resources.
7. Bears communicate using body language, sounds and smells. They treat humans just as they would other bears.
8. The typical diet of black bears is similar to that of other bears – more than 80 percent of their diet is vegetarian and consists of grasses, roots, berries, fruits, seeds and nuts. The remainder of their diet is made up of animals like insects, fish, and small mammals, and sometimes they even eat rubbish.
9. During the winter, black bears stay in their dens. Although they do not eat or drink, they may wake up if disturbed.
10. In spite of the fact that they are the most common species of bears, individual populations of black bears are at risk of isolation and starvation. An estimated 30,000 individuals are hunted and killed annually in North America, mostly as trophies or for the production of The Queen's Royal Guards' caps in the UK.