Males 30-66 sq. Dense forests, swamps and hammocks. This primarily nocturnal bear is solitary, except for courting pairs and mothers with young. They weigh about 12 ounces at birth and remain with their mother for 1.5 years. During this time the cubs learn how to find food and how to avoid danger.
Females remain near their mother's range and males disperse.
The availability of food is a major influence on bear behavior. This is often mistaken for a population explosion. Early settlers disliked bears because of their occasional raids on hog pens, spring houses and bee yards. Killing a black bear was considered an act of bravery among many American Indians and bear teeth and claws were symbols of bravery. It has been hunted for sport and persecuted as a pest.