---
title: "What the sources say about the American Black Bear | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "46 claims from the American Black Bear profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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# What the sources say about the American Black Bear (*Ursus americanus*)

> 46 claims from the American Black Bear profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [American Black Bear](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/american-black-bear/)

## Ursus americanus (American black bear). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Ursus_americanus/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Forests, from northern Alaska and Canada south through most of the U.S. into central Mexico | Black bears can be found from northern Alaska east across Canada to Labrador and Newfoundland, and south through much of Alaska, virtually all of Canada, and most of the U.S. into central Mexico (note: stats.habitat) |
| Forests, from northern Alaska and Canada south through most of the U.S. into central Mexico | Terrestrial Biomes
forest (note: stats.habitat) |
| Males are 1,400 to 2,000 mm long (1.4 to 2 m) | Total body length in males ranges from 1400 to 2000 mm (note: 1400 to 2000 mm is 1.4 to 2 m) |
| weigh 47 to 409 kg | Males weigh between 47 and 409 kg |
| Females run 1,200 to 1,600 mm and 39 to 236 kg | and from 1200 to 1600 mm in females. Tail length ranges from 80 to 140 mm. Males weigh between 47 and 409 kg, females weigh between 39 and 236 kg. |
| Black bears are usually black, particularly in eastern North America | Black bears are usually black in color, particularly in eastern North America. |
| Western populations are more often brown, cinnamon or blonde | Western populations are usually lighter in color, being more often brown, cinnamon, or blonde. |
| some in coastal British Columbia and Alaska are creamy white or bluish gray | Some populations in coastal British Columbia and Alaska are creamy white or bluish gray. |
| They live from northern Alaska east across Canada to Labrador and Newfoundland, and south through most of the U.S. into central Mexico | Black bears can be found from northern Alaska east across Canada to Labrador and Newfoundland, and south through much of Alaska, virtually all of Canada, and most of the U.S. into central Mexico |
| Each weighs 200 to 450 grams, the smallest young relative to adult size of any placental mammal, and is born naked and blind | At birth the young weigh 200 to 450 grams each, the smallest young relative to adult size of any placental mammal. They are born naked and blind. |
| Animal Diversity Web counts fewer than 36 human deaths from black bear encounters in the 20th century | fewer than 36 human deaths resulted from black bear encounters in the 20th century |
| calls black bears generally timid | Black bears are generally very timid |
| Big, and not always black | Black bears are usually black in color, particularly in eastern North America. (note: heading; 'not always' = usually black, lighter in the west) |
| The name does not always fit | Black bears are usually black in color, particularly in eastern North America. (note: lead-in to the colour paragraph; usually black, lighter in the west) |

## Black Bears. National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/black-bears.htm

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A bear whose sense of smell is about seven times stronger than a bloodhound's | Black bears have an incredible sense of smell; about seven times stronger than a bloodhound. (note: tagline) |
| Mostly plants (about 85% in the Smokies: nuts, acorns, berries), plus insects and carrion | Roughly 85% of their diet consists of plant materials, nuts and acorns are especially important during the fall. (note: stats.diet) |
| plus insects and carrion | In addition to plants, bears consume insects like ants, bees, and beetles, which provide essential protein. They also feed on animal carrion when available (note: stats.diet) |
| berries | This powerful nose helps them find natural foods like insects, nuts, and berries (note: stats.diet) |
| A sense of smell about seven times stronger than a bloodhound's | Black bears have an incredible sense of smell; about seven times stronger than a bloodhound. (note: stats.superpower) |
| Deadly | attacks on humans have occurred, inflicting serious injuries and death (note: stats.dangerLevel) |
| Great Smoky Mountains National Park says a black bear's sense of smell is about seven times stronger than a bloodhound's | Black bears have an incredible sense of smell; about seven times stronger than a bloodhound. |
| The bear uses that nose to find natural foods like insects, nuts and berries | This powerful nose helps them find natural foods like insects, nuts, and berries |
| It can also draw a bear to human food and trash, including hot dogs and apple cores | they can be drawn to any food source, including human food and trash. Items like hot dogs, apple cores, chip crumbs, and watermelon rinds left behind |
| In the wild, a black bear lives about 12 to 15 years | The lifespan of a black bear in the wild is about 12-15 years. |
| Black bears are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals | Black bears are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter. |
| In the Smokies, roughly 85% of the diet is plant material, and nuts and acorns are especially important in fall. These high-energy foods help bears build up fat for winter | Roughly 85% of their diet consists of plant materials, nuts and acorns are especially important during the fall. These high-energy foods help bears build up fat reserves for winter. |
| Bears also eat insects such as ants, bees and beetles, and carrion (dead animals) when they find it | bears consume insects like ants, bees, and beetles, which provide essential protein. They also feed on animal carrion when available |
| It is rare for a black bear to hunt live animals | it’s rare for a black bear to hunt live animals. |
| Black bears are not considered true hibernators. They enter torpor, a lighter form of hibernation | they are not considered “true hibernators” like some smaller mammals, they enter a state known as torpor, which is a lighter and less intense form of hibernation. |
| During torpor a bear does not eat, drink, urinate or defecate | During torpor, bears do not eat, drink, urinate, or defecate. |
| In the northernmost part of the range, it has been known to last as long as seven months | In the northernmost part of their range, hibernation has been known to last as long as seven months. |
| Cubs are typically born in late January or early February while the mother is in her den | Cubs are typically born in late January or early February while the mother is in her den. |
| Most animals that hibernate are small, often weighing just a few ounces. How a large mammal manages it is still not fully understood. | most animals that hibernate are small, often weighing just a few ounces. The fact that a large mammal, which can weigh hundreds of pounds, is able to hibernate at all is still not fully understood. |
| Bears are wild animals that are dangerous and unpredictable, and attacks have caused serious injuries and death | Bears are wild animals that are dangerous and unpredictable. Do not approach bears or allow them to approach you. Although extremely rare, attacks on humans have occurred, inflicting serious injuries and death. |
| Such attacks are extremely rare | Although extremely rare, attacks on humans have occurred |
| Great Smoky Mountains National Park says black bears can run up to 30 miles per hour | Their non-retractable claws and flat-footed gait help them climb trees, swim efficiently, and run up to 30 miles per hour. |
| Its advice if a bear follows you is to change direction, stand your ground if it keeps coming, and never run or turn your back | If a bear approaches or follows you, change your direction. If it continues to follow, stand your ground. Never run or turn your back. |
| bears that rely on human food are more likely to be hit by cars, targeted by poachers or suffer poor health | Studies show that bears who rely on human food live shorter lives as they’re more likely to be hit by cars, targeted by poachers, or suffer from poor health. |
| Bears with access to human food often live only half as long as the 12 to 15 years typical in the wild | The lifespan of a black bear in the wild is about 12-15 years. However, bears that gain access to human food and garbage often live only half as long. |
| A nose about seven times stronger than a bloodhound's | Black bears have an incredible sense of smell; about seven times stronger than a bloodhound. |
| Never run or turn your back. | Never run or turn your back. |
| Dens are often hollow stumps, tree cavities or dense brush piles | These dens are often in locations such as hollow stumps, tree cavities, or dense brush piles. |
| Many Smokies bears pick a spot high above the ground in a standing hollow tree, which the park says is rarely seen in other parts of the country | many bears in the Smokies region choose to den high above the ground in standing hollow trees, which is a behavior rarely seen in other parts of the country. |
| A black bear in torpor does not eat or drink | During torpor, bears do not eat, drink, urinate, or defecate. (note: vibe.reason) |
| that winter has been known to last seven months | In the northernmost part of their range, hibernation has been known to last as long as seven months. (note: vibe.reason) |

## Garshelis et al. (2016). Ursus americanus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T41687A45034604.

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2016-3.rlts.t41687a45034604.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Least Concern | IUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC). (note: stats.conservationStatus) |