Life History & Michigan History
Most black bear in Michigan have dark black fur. Brown color variations are more common in western states. The size of a bear depends on its age, sex, diet, and season of the year. Adult female bear are generally smaller than adult males. In Michigan, female bear range from 100-250 pounds, while adult males weigh between 150-400 pounds. Adult black bear measure about three feet high when on all four feet and about five feet when standing upright. A bear is considered an "adult" when it is capable of reproducing, which generally occurs at three to four years of age in Michigan. In the wild, bear can live 20 to 30 years.
Breeding takes place in June and cubs are born in early January while females are in dens. A litter may consist of one to four cubs, with two or three cubs being most common. At birth, bear cubs weigh less than one pound, but mother's rich milk helps them grow quickly. Mother and cubs emerge from the den in the spring, with the cubs weighing up to ten pounds. Cubs are under the watchful eyes of their mother throughout the summer and fall seasons. As autumn nears its end, the female will find a place to den with the cubs. The following spring, the female will stay with her offspring until she is ready to breed again in June.
Black bear are considered opportunistic feeders, taking advantage of many seasonally available foods. Bear eat succulent, new green vegetation in the spring after they leave their dens. Colonial insects, such as ants and bees, may make up over half of their diet in late spring and early summer. Black bear experience rapid weight gain in years when wild berries, which are high in sugars and other carbohydrates, are available beginning in mid summer. Nuts and acorns, because they are high in fats and protein, are the best fall foods for bear when preparing for their winter's sleep. If given the chance, black bear will supplement their natural diet with human garbage, pet foods, birdseed, or any foods placed to feed or attract other wildlife.
Approximately 15,000-19,000 black bear (including cubs) roam the hardwood and conifer forests of northern Michigan. About 90 percent of the bear live in the Upper Peninsula, while the remaining ten percent are mainly found in the northern Lower Peninsula. However, it is becoming increasingly common to see bear in the southern half of the Lower Peninsula. During the past twenty-five years, the status of the Michigan black bear has been elevated from pest to prized game species. Today, Michigan's only bear species is protected by law and managed by the Department of Natural Resources.
Black bears are shy by nature. If you were hiking though the woods, a bear would most likely hear you or pick up your scent and run off before you even knew it was there. Bears have a natural fear of humans and it is best if that fear remains intact. If we leave foods accessible to bears, they may over come their fear of humans in order to take advantage of it. Bears that learn to associate food with humans can be dangerous. People must act responsibly when living or vacationing in bear country, and know what activities are likely to attract bear. Prevention is the key to avoiding people-bear conflicts. See the links below for more information on preventing bear problems.
Links to Other Sources of Information
Preventing bear problems:
Be Bear Wise (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources)
Keep Me Wild Black Bear Web Page (California Dept. of Fish and Game)
Wildlife-Resistant Products (includes bear-proof items)
Black bear biology, habitat, and other information:
Canadian Wildlife Service Black Bear Web Page
University of Michigan, Museum of Zoology - Ursus americanus
National Wildlife Federation Black Bear Web Page
US Forest Service Black Bear Identification Web Page
Black bears in other areas:
Black Bears in Massachusetts (Massachusetts Dept. of Fish and Wildlife)
Canadian Wildlife Service Black Bear Web Page
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