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Habitat
& Home Range of the Black Bear
What
type of habitat do American black bears live in?
Generally
speaking, American black bears are forest dwellers. They can be found
in deciduous, coniferous, or mixed forest regions from sea level to 10,000
feet in elevation. The habitat is usually characterized by thick understory
vegetation and an abundant supply of fruit and nut bearing trees and shrubs.
However, they can also be found in the swamplands of the southeastern
United States and the scrublands of the southwest. A subspecies of the
American black bear even lives in the frozen tundra regions of Alaska
and Canada.
What
is the home range of an American black bear?
The
home range of an American black bear can vary greatly depending on the
location, the season, food availability, the density of individuals, and
the sex and age of the individual in question. The home range of a male
is normally larger than that of a female, and each male's home range will
usually overlap the home ranges of several females. Generally, the poorer
the habitat, the larger the home range must be in order to supply the
bear with enough food, water, and shelter. While in some extreme instances
a male American black bear could have a home range of over 100 square
miles, a more typical size would be:
Male 8
- 60 square miles
Female
1 - 15 square miles
Are
American black bears territorial?
In
certain instances researchers have found some black bears, usually females,
to be highly territorial. An intruder would be chased away or even seriously
injured by the female in residence. Territoriality is possible with females
because their smaller home range size allows them to defend it properly.
It would be nearly impossible for a male American black bear to defend
a home range that could measure as much as 100 square miles. Males generally
forgo territoriality and instead rely on a dominance hierarchy to keep
social order. Bears announce their presence by scent marking — urinating,
defecating, and rubbing, scratching, and biting trees. More submissive
bears will avoid areas where a dominant male is to be found. Occasionally,
black bears will even congregate at an abundant food source — examples
are the salmon runs in the Pacific Northwest or open garbage pits. While
squabbles may erupt periodically, their need for food overrides their
natural fear of one another.
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