On some animals, a white blaze punctuates the chest. Dexterous toes and lips and a long tongue enable American black bears to gather berries and insects they dig up after ripping open rotting logs or honey combs with their strong, curved claws. American black bears vary in size depending on sex, food availability and quality, and other factors. Male black bears may grow 20 to 60 percent larger than females, and can grow more than six feet long and weigh up to 650 pounds. Females rarely reach that length, and do not weigh more than 175 pounds.
Black bears stand around three feet tall at the shoulder.
American black bears range from Alaska and much of Canada south to mountains in northern Mexico. Historically, they did not inhabit southwestern deserts. However, other unlisted but scattered populations, such as those in Florida, are vulnerable to poaching, habitat loss, and roadkill deaths. Some estimates put the continent's black bear population at about a half million. The American black bear's diet is varied, but mostly vegetarian, including twigs, roots, berries, young plants, and buds.