Black bears can run up to 35 miles per hour and are excellent swimmers. Bears are excellent climbers, even as cubs. An adult black bear will readily climb trees, both for food and protection. Bears are intelligent, and have excellent senses of smell and hearing. A black bear's diet consists of mostly plants and fruit.
Bears give birth every other year.
One to four cubs are born in winter dens. Male black bears can weigh more than 600 pounds, but average about 350 pounds. Females average 200 pounds. Bears may live into their teens in the wild. Other than a female with cubs, or during the breeding season in June, bears are solitary creatures.