The Kermode bear is a near-white black bear that lives in an isolated section of west central British Columbia and on some nearby islands. There is also a very rare blue-phase bear known as the glacier bear, which is also found in British Columbia, but farther north and in sections of Alaska. The sizes of black bears vary from 150 pounds to 600 pounds, although 800 pounds has been recorded. With all four feet on the ground, they stand two to three feet tall and five to six feet in length. They eat a variety of foods including berries, fruits, nuts, grasses, insects, meat, and even carrion.
Newborn cubs rely on their mother s milk for survival.
Cubs are born in the den between December and February and weigh six to twelve ounces at birth. They do not open their eyes until about one month and do not begin to walk until two months of age. Black bears in North Carolina den in November or December in hollow trees, rock crevices, or piles of leaves. These denning bears can be aroused from their deep sleep quickly, which is not like a true hibernator. Their body temperature only drops about ten degrees and their heart rate and breathing only decline a little bit.