In ancient times, this species of bear was widespread in what is now Europe, but was quickly exterminated, and today it is not found in natural conditions in European countries. How does a baribal (or black bear) differ from its clumsy counterparts? What are his habits, external features? We will answer these and many other questions later in the article.
Distribution
The black bear baribal until recently inhabited the wooded and flat regions of North America. But most of the population was exterminated or driven out by man from the eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. By the beginning of the 21st century, the number of these animals does not exceed 200 thousand individuals. The baribal black bear shares most of its range with grizzlies.
The area of distribution of this animal is limited to mountainous areas with altitudes from 900 to 3,000 meters above sea level. Baribal is a bear that lives in Canada today andthirty-two US states. Small populations have also been recorded in Mexico.
As a rule, he prefers to settle in forests and areas that are not very densely populated by people. In Canada, the baribal (bear) occupies most of its historical range. It avoids only areas of the central plains where agriculture is actively developing. Although occasionally enters these territories.
Baribal (black bear): Appearance
This animal, unlike its larger counterparts, is of medium size. The muzzle is somewhat pointed, the paws are high, with very long claws. The coat is short and smooth. Most often, just below the throat, you can see a white, light brown or beige spot. The ears are large and set wide apart. Despite some external resemblance to a grizzly, baribal is a bear that does not have a front shoulder hump.
The length of the body of the animal is 1.5 m, the length of the tail is about a meter, the length of the auricle is 80 mm. A black bear weighs an average of 135 kg, although cases have been officially recorded when individual individuals reached a much larger weight (250 kg). Females are about a third smaller than males.
Life expectancy for this species, according to researchers, is about twenty-five years, although its rare representatives live up to ten years. This fact is explained by ecological conditions and poaching. More than 90% of baribal deaths after the age of 18 months are somehow connected with a meeting with a person - shots of huntersor poachers, car accidents, etc.
Color
Baribal, the description of which can be found in the specialized literature on wild animals, as a rule, has black, less often black-brown fur. The only exception is the end of the muzzle, which is light yellow. At the same time, chocolate-brown and bluish-black cubs can be born even in one brood.
Usually a brown tint is characteristic of young animals. Baribal is a bear, which is significantly inferior in size to its brown counterpart, but this species is not inferior to it in terms of color diversity. In addition to black or black-brown, light brown representatives of the species are found on the west coast of the United States, the Alaskan variety is distinguished by silver-blue fur (glacier bears), animals living on Gribbel Island have a white coat. But all varieties have a characteristic feature - a light yellow end of the muzzle.
Where the baribal lives
Black bears feel comfortable in areas that combine forests and meadows. Ideal habitats for them are forests with various types of nuts and fruits. In small sunny glades, these animals find food for themselves. Wetlands and lowlands provide them with juicy and tender vegetable food, and streams and small rivers in wooded areas provide drinking water. In addition, they are used by clubfoot for cooling in the summer heat.
Dippers with growing offspring need large trees, and their trunk diameter shouldbe at least 50 cm. The bark must be ribbed (for example, white pines). These trees are the safest for little bear cubs who are just learning to climb and are a great place to make a bed for the night.
Do baribal have enemies?
Yes, and there are quite a few of them. Baribal is a bear that avoids open areas for fear of being attacked by larger and stronger brown bears. That is why he prefers to settle in wooded areas. Gray wolves, coyotes, cougars often prey on cubs. And yet, most of the dead baribals are adult animals, and people kill them.
Food
Baribal is a rather timid, non-aggressive and omnivorous bear. In food, he is completely picky and illegible. It mainly feeds on plant foods, larvae and insects. Black bears cannot be called active predators: they consume most vertebrates only in the form of carrion. At the same time, the baribal will not refuse small rodents: beavers, rabbits, it can cope with a small deer.
Baribal eats as much food as his stomach can hold. After that, he goes to sleep, and when he wakes up, he again searches for food. Depending on the season, up to 80-95% of its diet is plant foods. In spring (April-May), baribal mainly feeds on grasses. In June, their diet becomes a little more varied: insects, larvae and ants appear, and in autumn the bear feasts on berries, mushrooms and acorns.
When salmon spawn in some rivers in Alaska and Canada,black bears gather on the banks and fish in shallow water. It must be said that autumn for the baribal is a critical period. At this time, he needs to stock up on fat for the winter. This is especially important for females who will feed their offspring during the winter. Black bears accumulate fat reserves by eating a large amount of fruits, acorns and nuts.
Baribal: breeding
Immediately after waking up from hibernation, baribals mate. This happens in May-July. Pregnancy lasts up to two hundred and twenty days. Interestingly, the bear does not develop pregnancy immediately, but only in late autumn. Yes, and only if it accumulates the required amount of fat. Another interesting feature: two or three cubs are born in winter, at a time when their mother sleeps very soundly.
Babies are born weighing no more than 450 grams. They independently find their way to fatty and warm milk, and by spring their weight already reaches 5 kg. The cubs follow their mother everywhere, receiving lessons from her for all occasions. They leave her only the next year, when it's time for the next mating.
Lifestyle
The black bear is a great climber, he is great at climbing trees, even at a very advanced age. These are cautious animals, with a highly developed sense of smell, exceptional hearing. A day, in search of food or a sexual partner, baribals cross considerable distances:
- young animals of the same age - 1.6 km;
- adult males - 12km;
- adult females - 9 km.
The maximum recorded length of a daily walk was about 200 km.
Baribal quickly runs uphill or on a horizontal surface, reaching speeds of up to 55 km / h. These animals are also good swimmers, swimming at least 2.5 km in fresh water.
Black bears prefer to feed early in the morning or in the evening when the heat of the day subsides. However, some are active at night. They try to avoid encounters with other bears and people. The brain of a black bear is quite large in relation to the size of the body. The animal has an excellent memory. Considered one of the most intelligent mammals.
Georgia National Wildlife Refuge officials say black bears are remarkably smart when they are caught poaching outside the preserve. They flee to the park and leave the employees to deal with the angry farmers themselves, while they calmly walk along the border of the park.
And finally some interesting facts:
- The black bear is a popular heraldic symbol. In many countries, his image is used in coats of arms: in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Russia.
- London Beefeaters - the famous guard of the Queen of Great Britain - wear high hats made of Canadian baribal fur.
- Baribal is endowed by nature with good color vision.
