File:American black bear standing on large rock - DPLA - 3cde00c9f50b646578cb9ae9b3816724.jpg

35 mm slide; color. Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Mammalia; Order: Carnivora; Family: Ursidae; Genus: Ursus; Genus species: Ursus americanus. Animal characteristics: Head-Body Length: 130-190 cm; Weight: male: 60-300 kg, female: 40-80 kg; Identification: American black bears are primarily black, but they may be brown, cinnamon, pale blue, or white. A white patch on the chest is also common; Habitat: Forests, tundra; Diet: Omnivore: insects, nuts, berries, acorns, grass, roots, young deer; Reproduction: Black bears mate in June, July, or August. After a gestation period of 220 days, females give birth to 1-4 cubs in a den. The cubs are weaned when they are 6-8 months old but will not leave their mother until they are 1-1.5 years of age. Most bears live for 20-25 years; Social Structure: With the exception of a female with her cubs, black bears spend most of their time alone; Behavior: Female bears may remain in the same vicinity as their mothers. Males are forced to disperse; Status: No special status although some subspecies are rare; Interesting Facts: Due to their low reproductive rates, black bears can only sustain a very low rate (0-5 percent) of additional unnatural deaths; each bear killed by man is extremely devastating.