TN10075 BLACK BEAR URSUS AMERICANUS
| Lifestage | Environmental Association |
| Breeding Adult | Terrestrial Features: Caves, dry |
| General | Water Level: Permanently flooded areas |
| General | Water Level: Semi-permanently flooded areas |
| General | Water Level: Seasonal/Alternatiely flooded areas |
| General | Water Level: Semi-permanently exposed |
| General | Elevation: 0-100 ft. |
| General | Elevation: 100-300 ft. |
| General | Elevation: 300-500 ft. |
| General | Elevation: 500-1000 ft. |
| General | Elevation: 1000-2000 ft. |
| General | Elevation: 2000-3000 ft. |
| General | Soil Needs: Clay |
| General | Soil Needs: Silt |
| General | Soil Needs: Sand |
| General | Soil Needs: Loam |
| General | Soil Needs: Rocky |
| General | Soil Profile: Organic Matter - undecomposed |
| Resting Adult | Terrestrial Features: Caves, dry |
| Resting Juvenile | Terrestrial Features: Caves, dry |
| General | Air Temperature: Specified in Comments |
| General | Elevation: 3000-4000 ft. |
| General | Elevation: 4000-5000 ft. |
| Limiting | Percent Canopy Closure of Nut-producing Trees: Specified in Comments |
| Limiting | Percent Shrub Ground Cover: Specified in Comments |
| Limiting | Percent Shrub Ground Cover of Preferred Species: Specified in Comments |
| Breeding Adult | Percent Canopy Closure of Nut-producing Trees: Specified in Comments |
| Breeding Adult | Percent Shrub Ground Cover: Specified in Comments |
| Breeding Adult | Percent Shrub Ground Cover of Preferred Species: Specified in Comments |
| Breeding Adult | Decaying trees/Other Plants: Specified in Comments |
| Feeding Juvenile | Human Association: Specified in Comments |
| Feeding Juvenile | Vegetations Successional Stage: Specified in Comments |
| Resting Juvenile | Decaying trees/Other Plants: Specified in Comments |
| Feeding Adult | Human Association: Specified in Comments |
| Feeding Adult | Vegetations Successional Stage: Specified in Comments |
| Resting Adult | Decaying trees/Other Plants: Specified in Comments |
| Resting Adult | See comments on environmental associations |
Comments on General Environmental Associations
IN VIRGINIA, THE MEAN TEMPERATURE FOR A MOUNTAIN RANGE BELOW 4000 FEET IS 50-62 DEGREES F, AND IN THE DISMAL SWAMP IT IS 59.3 DEGREES F *1186*. A BLACK BEAR'S ACTIVITY IS DEPRESSED WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 25 DEG C, OR BELOW FREEZING *57*. THE DISMAL SWAMP RANGE CONSISTS OF PEAT, MUCK, AND SOILS HIGH IN ORGANIC MATTER *1186*. THE IDEAL UPLAND FOREST HABITAT HAS NUMEROUS SMALL OPENINGS *149*, EXTENSIVE FORESTS, AND INACCESIBLE/NEARLY IMPENETRABLE AREAS *286,57,241*. THEY MAY USE BEDS OF LEAF LITTER *57*. BEARS HAVE BEEN FOUND IN TREE CAVITIES WITH ENTRANCES UP TO 96 FEET ABOVE GROUND *286*. THERE IS NO PERCENT GIVEN, BUT THE FOLLOWING ARE IMPORTANT FOR FOOD AND DORMANCY PREPARATION *1186,57*: BEAR OAK (ESPECIALLY ON HIGH MINERAL SOILS DEPLETED OF ORGANIC MATTER), GALLBERRY, ARROW-ARUM, PERSIMMON *241,1186,57*; HEMLOCK, POND, TABLE MOUNTAIN, AND LOBLOLLY PINE AND CYPRESS *1186*; AND HOLLY, COTTON, SWEET AND BLACK GUMS, BAY, REDBAY, SWAMP COTTONWOOD, CHESTNUT AND SCARLET OAKS, BEECH, SUGAR MAPLE, BASSWOOD, REDBUD, RHODODENDRON, AND MOUNTAIN LAUREL *149,1186,57*. GENERALLY, A THICK UNDERSTORY, AND THICKETS FOR FOOD AND COVER ARE PREFERRED. A SPOTTY ABSENCE OF THESE IN THE DISMAL SWAMP IS DUE TO DENSE OVERSTORY AND STANDING WATER *1186,57,241*. THE BLACK BEAR EATS CORN, MORE SO IN THE DISMAL SWAMP PART OF ITS RANGE *81*. LIMITING FACTORS INCLUDE SUFFICIENT, DENSE GROUNDCOVER FOR COVER, PROTECTION FROM MAN AND DOGS IS CRITICAL, AND SUFFICIENT MAST IS REQUIRED FOR FOOD *149,1186,245,241*. The Virginia mean temperature in the mountain range below 4000 feet is 50-62 degrees F, and in the Dismal Swamp it is 59.3 degrees F *1186*. Activity is depressed above 25 degrees C, below freezing *57*. In the Dismal Swamp range peat, muck, soils are high in organic matter *1186*. The ideal upland forest habitat has numerous small openings *149*. Extensive forests, inaccesible or nearly impenetrable areas are used *286,57,241*. They may use beds of leaf litter *57*. They have been found in tree cavities with entrances up to 96 feet above the ground *286*. They used bear oak (especially on high mineral soils depleted of organic matter), gallberry, arrow-arum, persimmon *241,1186, 57*, hemlock, pond, table mountain, and loblolly pine and cypress *1186*, holly, cotton, sweet and black gums, bay, redbay, swamp cottonwood, chestnut and scarlet oaks, beech, sugar maple, basswood, redbud, rhododendron, mountain laurel *149,1186,57*. No percent is given, but these are important for food and dormancy preparation *1186,57*. They generally use thick understory, thickets for food and cover, with their spotty absence in Dismal Swamp due to dense overstory and standing water *1186,57,241*. This species eats corn, more so in the Dismal Swamp part of its range *81*. Limiting factors are sufficient, dense groundcover for cover with protection from man and dogs critical. Sufficient mast is required for food *149,1186,245,241*.
Comments on Limiting Environmental Associations
Comments on Breeding Adult Environmental Associations
A LACK OF SUFFICIENT MAST PRODUCTION (EX. ACORNS, BERRIES), MAY CAUSE DELAYED ESTRUS AND A DECREASED LITTER SIZE *57,245*. SECURE DENS ARE VERY IMPORTANT AS THE BIRTH, CARE, AND MATURATION OF CUBS OCCURS THERE. *57* The lack of sufficient mast production (ex. acorns, berries), may cause delayed estrus and decreased litter size *57,245*. Secure dens are very important as birth, care and the maturation of cubs occurs there *57*.
Comments on Feeding Adult Environmental Associations
BLACK BEARS ARE SOMETIMES ATTRACTED TO GARBAGE DUMP SITES.*5475,5277,5394* EARLY SERAL PLANT COMMUNITIES THAT FOLLOW CLEARCUTTING PROVIDE THE CONCENTRATIONS OF THEIR FOOD.*5338*
Comments on Resting Adult Environmental Associations
A SUFFICIENT QUANTITY OF SOFT/HARD MAST IN THE LATE SUMMER/FALL CRITICAL PERIOD IS NEEDED TO INCREASE THEIR FAT STORES FOR WINTER DORMANCY (WEIGHT GAINS TO 1 KG OR MORE DAILY) *57*. BLACK BEARS WILL DEN IN ROTTEN, HOLLOW TREES.*6037,5394,5277* THEY WILL ALSO DEN UNDER THE ROOTS OF A FALLEN TREE, IN A SLIGHLTY EXCAVATED HOLLOW IN THE GROUND, UNDER BRUSH PILES, UNDER LARGE BOULDERS, AND IN DENSE THICKETS.*6037,5394,5116,5319,5277* ESCAPE COVER IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT FOR BLACK BEARS, THE IMPORTANT FACTORS BEING DENSE VEGETATION AND EXPANSES OF WATER TO DETER DOGS AND HUNTERS.*5319* Sufficient soft and hard mast in late summer and fall is critical to increase fat stores for winter dormancy (weight gains can be up to 1 kg or more daily) *57*.
Comments on Feeding Juvenile Environmental Associations
BLACK BEARS ARE OFTEN ATTRACTED TO DUMP SITES. *5475,5394,5277* EARLY SERAL PLANT COMMUNITIES THAT FOLLOW CLEARCUTTING PROVIDE THE CONCENTRATION OF FOOD FOR BLACK BEARS.*5338*
Comments on Resting Juvenile Environmental Associations
BLACK BEARS WILL DEN IN ROTTEN, HOLLOW TREES. *6037,5394,5277* THEY WILL ALSO DEN UNDER THE ROOTS OF A FALLEN TREE, IN A SLIGHTLY EXCAVATED HOLLOW IN THE GROUND, UNDER BRUSH PILES, UNDER LARGE BOULDERS, AND IN DENSE THICKETS.*6037,5394,5116,5319,5277*
Comments on Resting Larva Environmental Associations
Comments on Pupa Environmental Associations
| References/Lifestage | Reference Numbers |
| General | 57, 81, 149, 241, 286, 1186 |
| Limiting | 57, 81, 149, 241, 286, 1186 |
| Breeding Adult | 5116, 5277, 5319, 5394, 6037, 6037, 5116, 5394, 5277, 5319 |
| Feeding Adult | 5277, 5338, 5394, 5475, 6037, 6037, 5338, 5475, 5394, 5277 |
| Resting Adult | 5116, 5277, 5319, 5394, 6037, 6037, 5116, 5394, 5277, 5319 |
| Feeding Juvenile | 5277, 5338, 5394, 5475, 6037, 6037, 5338, 5475, 5394, 5277 |
| Resting Juvenile | 5116, 5277, 5319, 5394, 6037, 6037, 5116, 5394, 5277, 5319 |