American Black Bear

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The American Black Bear is the smallest, yet most common species of Bear in North America. People have a propensity to think that Bears are very dangerous, especially to humans. In reality, Bears are harmless creatures, and have a very friendly demeanor.

Compared to all other types of bears, the American Black Bear is in the middle when it comes to size. It is smaller than a Polar Bear, but larger than a Sloth Bear. Black Bears vary in size depending on their location in the world, sex, how much food is available, the time of year, and their inherited genes.

Male and female Black Bears have an immense difference in size. Males tend to be anywhere from twenty to sixty percent larger than females. The length of a male Black Bear can range from fifty to seventy inches and their tail is approximately five inches long. The paws of a male Black Bear are extremely large; about ten inches long. Their weight can vary from two hundred fifty to five hundred pounds, but most male Black Bears weigh around three hundred fifty pounds.

The female Black Bear is fifty to fifty-five inches in length and their tail can range from three to four inches in length. A female’s paws are also quite large at about eight inches in length. A smaller female weighs about two hundred twenty-five pounds, but a larger female can weigh up to four hundred fifty pounds.

American Black Bears are covered with soft, long fur. Although they are called “Black Bears,” American Black Bears are not always black. They can range anywhere from a darker blonde color to jet-black. On the Western part of the United States, the Black Bears are normally a lighter color, whereas the Black Bears in the Center of the United States are darker. American Black Bears ar...

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