Black bears grow to about 5 feet long, can weigh up to 700 pounds and can climb trees. Black bears can also run as fast as 25 miles per hour. Black bears normally live alone and prefer large tracts of undeveloped, wooded forests. Bears can spend months sleeping in a den or will stay active if the winter weather is mild. They can den in underground caves, hollow trees and under overhanging banks.
Black bears can also be rusty brown or blonde colored.
Most black bears have brown noses and a white patch on their chest. They have small round ears and small brown eyes. They have poor eyesight but can readily spot movement. They have excellent hearing. Black bears are very powerful and can kill animals as large as a cow with one swipe of a paw.