Food Habits
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 Classified
as a carnivore (i.e., meat-eating animal) by taxonomists,
Louisiana black bears are not usually active predators and
rarely prey on vertebrate animals. There are many stories of
bears feeding on nutria and other furbearers caught in traps
during the days when fur trapping was a viable vocation.
There have been no reports of Louisiana black bears preying
on livestock or pets in recent history. Bears are better
described as opportunistic feeders as they eat almost
anything that is available, thus they are more typically
omnivorous.
 The
growth rate, maximum size, breeding age, litter size, and
cub survival of black bears are all linked to nutrition.
Bears spend a considerable amount of time foraging for food,
using their keen sense of smell to locate food sources.
Feeding signs are usually evident in areas of bear activity,
including torn logs, broken saplings, clawed trees, and
trampled food plants. Bears utilize all levels of the forest
for feeding; from the forest floor to the treetops.
Excellent climbers, they can gather foods from treetops and
vines.
 After
emerging from dens in spring, bears may initially be in a
“semi-fasting” state as they continue to utilize remaining
fat reserves. Food is relatively scarce during this period
and weight loss is often more rapid than during denning.
Succulent vegetation is first utilized for food and then
foods such as residual hard mast (acorns, pecans, etc.),
agricultural crops, and insects are consumed. With
 the
arrival of summer, soft mast including dewberries,
blackberries, wild grapes, elderberry, persimmon, pokeweed,
devil’s walking stick, thistle, and palmetto will become
staples in the diet. In the fall, hard mast, such as acorns
and pecans, is a particularly important fat and
carbohydrate-rich food source that provides the fat reserves
necessary for bears to enter the denning period in proper
health. Bears exhibit their most rapid weight gain during
fall, thus, hard mast is considered a critical food source
at this time.
 Agricultural
crops supplement natural foods and can be very important
food sources throughout the year, especially in areas of
extremely fragmented habitat and high bear density. For
example, corn is an important forage crop for the large
number of bears inhabiting the Epps Plantation tracts in
Madison Parish, Louisiana. Bears will readily take advantage
of food opportunities provided by man. Besides crops from
both commercial and residential plantings, bears can get
into trouble for getting into garbage and pet foods. In
areas where bears are present, it is important for measures
to be taken to prevent access to these tempting foods (see
Living with Bears chapter). |
