Adult females range between 120 and 250 pounds, but may weigh under 100 pounds and up to about 300. During hibernation, some of a bear's body processes slow but its temperature only drops a few degrees, unlike hibernating small mammals, whose body temperature drops nearly as low as the surrounding environment. A bear roused from hibernation can be alert and ready to run instantly. Hibernating bears may go more than 200 days without eating, drinking, urinating or defecating. Energy or body processes comes from fat accumulated before denning.
Bears emerging from hibernation have little interest in eating or drinking.
Cub survival can be much lower when food is poor. Much of the meat they eat is insects and carrion. Mortality caused by humans, hunting, poaching, killing of problem bears is the leading cause of death among most black bear populations. Black bears range in color from black and dark brown to cinnamon or even blond. Bears have an acute sense of smell.