They are omnivorous and have five non-retractable claws dexterous enough to screw open jar lids. They eat berries, insects, honey, nuts, roots, tubers, young shoots, eggs, fish, small mammals, carrion and garbage. They can be very fond of bird feeders, and dog, cat or horse food, all of which are best kept tightly locked away in bear territory. An adult black bear can eat from ten to twenty pounds of food per day, with 85 percent of that normally vegetable matter. Their primary threat comes from people, although for bears that make it to old age, parasites and even tooth problems can weaken and kill them.
Black bears are primarily nocturnal, especially when they are in close contact with people.
An evening or morning glimpse of these creatures, which symbolized so much that was good and bad about the wilderness for early settlers, can help remind us of how foreign true wilderness is to most of us, and how important it is that we help ensure its survival. 2 to 3 feet at shoulder. Weight 200 to 600 pounds, with males a third larger than females. Colors can vary. Black in eastern U.S. Broad, blunt, brown face with small eyes and large, Roman nose.