Ursa americanus

Way back on June 5, I wrote about grizzlies, and today it is time to look up black bears (Ursa americanus). I had been planning to do this for a while, and the trikers' visit yesterday to the AnAn Creek Wildlife Observatory in the Tongas National Forest provided the motivation to do it today.

Unlike the Grizzly, the American Black Bear has never been an endangered species. It is the most common bear species native to North America and lives through out much of the continent. Black bears are found in 41 states, including Arkansas. :-) Black bears are omnivores whose diet includes plants, meat, and insects. Their diet typically consists of about 10-15% animal matter. The black bear eats a wide variety of foods, mainly herbs, nuts and berries, but where available (as in Tongas) salmon is a favorite food.

Like many animals, black bears seldom attack unless cornered, threatened, or wounded. They are less likely to attack humans than Grizzly Bears and typically flee for cover as soon as they identify a human visitor. Deaths by Black Bear, though, are most often predatory, while the more numerous grizzly fatalities on humans are often defensive.