美洲黑熊(American black bears)

americanblackbearsappearinavarietyofcolorsdespitetheirname.intheeasternpartoftheirrange,mostofthesebrown,red,orevenyellowcoats.tothenorth,theblackbearisactuallygrayorwhiteincolor.eveninthesamelitter,bothbrownandblackfurredbearsmaybeborn.

blackbearsarethesmallestofallamericanbears,ranginginlengthfromfivetosixfeet,weighingfromthreehundredtofivehundredpoundstheireyesandearsaresmallandtheireyesightandhearingarenotasgoodastheirsenseofsmell.

likeallbears,theblackbearistimid,clumsy,andrarelydangerous,butifattacked,mostcanclimbtreesandcovergroundatgreatspeeds.whenangryorfrightened,itisaformidableenemy.

blackbearsfeedonleaves,herbs.fruit,berries,insects,fish,andevenlargeranimals.oneofthemostinterestingcharacteristicsofbears,includingtheblackbear,istheirwintersleep.unlikesquirrels,woodchucks,andmanyotherwoodlandanimals,bearsdonotactuallyhibernate.althoughthebeardoesnotduringthewintermoths,sustainingitselffrombodyfat,itstemperatureremainsalmostnormal,anditbreathesregularlyfourorfivetimesperminute.

mostblackbearslivealone,exceptduringmatingseason.theyprefertoliveincaves,hollowlogs,ordensethickets.alittleofonetofourcubsisborninjanuaryorfebruaryafteragestationperiodofsixtoninemonths,andtheyremainwiththeirmotheruntiltheyarefullygrownoraboutoneandahalfyearsold.blackbearscanliveaslongasthirtyyearsinthewild,andevenlongeringamepreservessetasideforthem.