Black bears have a round and short body with sturdy legs. Their rounded shape comes from a thick layer of fat under the skin and the dense, coarse hair. Their fur is usually glossy black except for a tan patch across the nose. About 25 percent of Wisconsin s bears have irregular white markings on their chests. They walk on the soles of their feet, the same as people, and have five toes with non-retractable claws.
Claws come in handy for hunting, climbing trees and tearing open logs in search of insects.
Even though they re huge bulky animals, don t be fooled. Black bears can run over 30 miles per hour and climb a tree in a flash to get out of harms way. These incredible hulks eat all the food they need for the year in only 6 to 8 months. You might see them out at twilight between mid-May and into late September. In late fall, they stuff themselves into a cozy den and fall into a deep winter sleep, but not hibernation.