Let’s Talk Trash! SEPT / OCT 2019
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THE AMERICAN BLACK BEAR
Black bears are beautiful animals that range in size and color. Female black bears range from about 100 pounds to 250 pounds, while males can weigh between 150 and 400 pounds. Most black bears in the Eastern United States have a black coat and tan snout, but in the west they can be a cinnamon or brown color as well. When standing, black bears can reach a height of up to seven feet. Black bears have short claws that are excellent for climbing trees. While black bears do eat meat, they are omnivorous, and much of their diet consists of berries, nuts, and insects. W ith growing human populations, they are frequently scavengers, eating food that is unhealthy and unnatural for them, while habituating them toward humans.To find their food, they use a superb sense of smell and hearing to locate potential food sources from a great distance away. Black bears can be found awake during any part of the day or night, but they are most active during dawn and dusk, similar to deer and elk, making them crepuscular, rather than diurnal or nocturnal .
Dexterous: showing or having skill, with the hands Crepuscular: active in the twilight Diurnal: active in the daytime Nocturnal: active in the nighttime
Habituate: make or become accustomed or used to something
W here as many black bears hibernate during the winter, some wake up to forage for food, while many do not hibernate at all. This depends on the food sources available to them and the climate of their habitat. W here as many black bears hibernate during the winter, some wake up to forage for food, while many do not hibernate at all. This depends on the food sources available to them and the climate of their habitat.
Generally, black bears are shy, timid, and solitary by nature. Unless a mother is with her cubs, these bears are normally seen alone rather than in groups. Most black bears flee at loud noises or upon seeing humans, unless they have been habituated towards them. Therefore, black bear attacks are rare. Most often, a black bear is aggressive toward humans when they associate them with food. As people have fed and consistently approached bears, some lost their fear of humans and would approach them expecting food, not unlike a dog that has been trained in your household or a raccoon approaching your campsite . https://www.indianawildlife.org/blackbear/
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