Louisiana Coloring Book Page 14
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18(Act 1022) Louisiana black bears are black, some with a distinct white
"blaze" on their chest. Adult males generally weigh from 250 to over 400
pounds and adult females range from 120 to over 275 pounds. Body length of
adults, nose to tail, ranges up to 6 feet.
Female black bears begin to mate at 3 to 5 years of age and have one to
four cubs every other year. The young remain with their mother the first year,
den with her the following winter, and search for their own territory in their
second summer.
Bears tend to range over large areas in search of basic needs such as food,
escape cover, den sites, and mates. Males have been known to range over 100
square miles while females occupy much smaller home ranges, often less than
10 square miles.
Although classified as carnivores, Louisiana black bears are not active
predators. These intelligent mammals are opportunistic feeders and will eat
almost anything that is available. Although natural foods, such as berries and
acorns, comprise a majority of a bear's diet, bears readily take advantage of
food options provided by humans. When available, bears may feed on
agricultural crops such as corn, wheat, oats, and sugarcane, occasionally
damage beehives in search of honey, and will readily become habituated to
human garbage when the opportunity exists.
Black bears are very intelligent, shy and secretive animals, and generally
work hard at avoiding contact with humans. Dangerous situations may occur
whenever close human activity is perceived as a danger to cubs or otherwise
threatening. The best advice is for humans to avoid close contact with bears.
The black bear became our official state mammal in 1992.
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