Some are dark brown. Cinnamon colored bears are common west of the Mississippi River. Some people think bears smell bad, but bear expert Dr. Lynn Rogers says the most common bear odor is clean and pleasant, even after six months in a den. A black bear has round ears, small eyes, and a long snout. Their hind feet have five toes.
All black bears are agile tree climbers.
Their curved claws help them grasp the tree bark. Females, or sows, generally weigh about 200 to 300 pounds. Males, or boars, weigh 250 to 600 pounds. Like other bears, black bears have better eyesight than most people give them credit for. They also have keen hearing.