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LOUISIANA BLACK BEAR FACTS
(Ursus americanus luteolus) |
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Bears are one of the world's most adaptable carnivores. Their reasoning ability, long-term memory, omnivorous food habits, dexterity, speed, strength, sense of smell, and elusive behavior contribute to their success through evolutionary time.
Louisiana black bears are black with a brown muzzle, some with a distinct white "blaze" on their chest. Adult males generally weigh from 150 to 350 pounds, and adult females range from 120 to over 250 pounds. Body length of adults, nose to tail, ranges up to 6 feet.
Female black bears become sexually mature at 3 to 5 years of age and have 1 to 5 cubs every other year. The young remain with their mother the first year, den with her the following winter, and search for their own territory in their second summer.
Bears tend to range over large areas in search of basic needs such as food, escape cover, den sites, and mates. Males have an average range of 20,000 acres while females usually maintain home ranges of roughly 5,000 acres.
Although classified as carnivores, black bears are not active predators. They are opportunistic feeders and will eat almost anything that is available. Natural foods, such as berries and acorns, comprise a majority of a bear's diet, but bears readily take advantage of food options provided by agricultural crops such as corn, wheat, oats, and sugarcane, occasionally damage beehives in search of honey, and will readily become habituated to human garbage when the opportunity exists.
Black bears are very intelligent, shy and secretive animals, and generally work hard to avoid contact with humans. Dangerous situations may occur whenever close human activity is perceived as threatening to the bear or its cubs. The best advice is for humans to avoid close bear encounters.
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