Answer to Our Wild Neighbors
Submitted by the Mowry Tracking Team
Ursus americanus, black bear or what the Spanish call baribal. The black bear is the only bear species still found in Arizona. The fur color varies, including black, brown, cinnamon and dark blonde. Black bears are characterized as shy, secretive animals possessing considerable curiosity and displaying high levels of intelligence and exploratory behavior. They have been known to screw off jar lids and open doors. They weigh between 125-400 pounds with males being larger than females. They range from 3 to 3 1/4 feet tall when on all four feet and anywhere between 4 1/2 to 6 1/4 feet long. Black bears are most active at dawn and dusk, eating primarily acorns, berries, insects and cactus fruits. Locomotion is usually a lumber on all four legs but they are capable of running up to 30 mph, just slightly faster than Usain Bolt. Arizona black bears hibernate from November through March and the females produce two to three cubs in January or early February depending on food availability. They are known to live up to 25 years in the wild. The adults, when stressed, will make sounds including woofing, hissing, popping of teeth and grunting. They roam in territories of five to 50 square miles and have a sense of smell seven times greater than a dog. Wear your deodorant.