American Black Bear

 






American Black Bear in the Wildlife Management Area (not near trails)

Did you know that 90% of a bear's diet is plant material?  In the fall, hazelnuts, acorns, and wild apples are consumed in abundance in an attempt to fatten up.  This caloric intake sustains them through winter when they pull from fat stores and lose 15-25% of their body weight.  Females gaining enough weight in the fall is crucial for the health of young cubs who will be born and nursed during late winter within the den.

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Anonymous said…
By planting native, nutritious raspberries, highbush blueberry, chestnut oak, bear oak, walnuts, mast trees, fruit trees, and other shrubs for wildlife, people can help the bears find healthy, natural food before and after winter. Leaving your carved pumpkins filled with their seeds, away from houses, ensures that bears will learn to enjoy them in the woods. Encouraging your local bears to find lots of healthy food deep in the woods, and to den away from houses, keeps them safe from cars and suburbia. When encountering a black bear on a trail it is polite to walk to the side to provide space for the bear to pass, in search of insects and plant food. Statistically, a black bear encounter is millions of times safer than being near any automobile.
October 20, 2025 at 9:38 PM
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