A black bear will often have a brown muzzle and may have a lighter color patch on its chest. Its feet are equipped with strong, highly curved claws. Black bears prefer forested areas from sea level to altitudes of up to 6500 feet. Their choice of habitat is always one that keeps them away from contact with brown bears, a much larger competitor species. A pair may come together for several days during mating season and in time of abundant food, several bears may feed closely together with little interaction.
Male bears keep large territories that overlap the smaller ranges of several females.
Bears will leave territorial signposts both through scent marking and by leaving long claw marks in tree bark. Females reach sexual maturity at 3 to 4 years of age and mating will take place in June, July and August. Pairs may come together for a few hours or several days, copulating many times. Gestation is approximately 220 days and the cubs are born in their mother's winter den in January or February. Cubs are weaned at around 8 months but may remain with their mother for a year and a half.