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Black Bears

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• Black bears Scientific Name (Ursus Americanus).
• Black bears have a life span of 3-30 years.
• Black bears are the smallest of the three species of bears in North America.
• Black bears have a height of 2-3 feet and can stand as high as 7 feet tall.
• Black bears in Nevada are found mostly in Sierra Nevada and Lake Tahoe in the mountainous areas and foothills.
• Black bears find food in rivers and streams and in forest covered areas.
• Black bears can come in colors of tan, brown, black, blonde, and cinnamon color are the most common in Nevada and in rare cases even white.
• Black bears (Adult)females (called sows) weigh between 85 to 520 lbs, (Adult) male bears (called boars) are larger at 103 to 900 lbs or more.
• Black bears males tend to be anywhere from 20 to 60 percent larger than females.
• Black bears that live near urban areas are usually heavier than those who live in the wild.
• Black bears have short, non-retractable claws that enable them to climb trees.
• Black bears compared to brown bears have smaller, tighter curved claws.
• Black bears senses are 10 times more powerful than a blood hound.
• Black bears have excellent long-term memory with exceptional hearing and eyesight like a human.
• Black bears are omnivores, with diet primarily of berries, grasses, nuts, and insect larvae, occasionally eating small mammals and fish when available.
• Black Bears require berries, nuts and other highly digestible plant foods to provide them with sufficient nutrition to meet their reproductive requirements.
• Bears are attracted to barbecue grills, pet food, bird feed, chickens outside, wrappers and empty cans, coolers, scented candles, scented toiletries, toothpaste.
• Black Bears once gaining access to human food or trash, undesirable behavior will increase with each food reward gained.
• Black Bears have excellent long-term memory; therefore, they will remember the exact locations where food was found and recognize this container.
• Black bears mate in June and July but become pregnant in November.
• Black bears (females) breed as early as 3 years of a Black bears breed every other year resulting in one to four cubs per litter.
• Black Bears prepare for hibernation by gaining enough weight.
• Black bear cubs are born in the first week of February while the mother is hibernating, weighing less than a pound at birth.
• Black bears emerge from the den with their mother usually in April and weigh 5-7 lbs.
• Black bears threats are loss of habitat and increased fragmentation of bear territories due to human development, over-hunting, accidents involving cars in urban settings

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TIPS IF YOU ENCOUNTER A BEAR
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• BUILDING, DUMPSTER, OR AROUND THE CORNER-give the bear a clear escape route (DO NOT CORNER THE BEAR).
• Leave any doors open as you back away from the bear.
• Do not lock the bear in a room.
• BACKYARD-from a safe distance, make loud noises, (shout, bang pots and pans together to scare away the bear).
• Once the Bear encounter has occurred and the bear leaves, remove potential attractants such as a garbage, bird seed, or pet food, ask your neighbors to remove attractants as well.
• Always check your backyard for bears prior to letting your dog outside.
• WOODS- If you see a bear, before the bear notices you, stand still and do not approach and take that moment to enjoy the view. After you are finished, move quietly and in the opposite direction.
• If you encounter a bear that becomes aware of you, please do not run, this may trigger a chase response, back away slowly in the opposite direction and wait for the bear to leave.
• FYI- Carry Bear Spray & Know How to Use it- keep bear spray accessible, it is proven to be most effective way to deter a bear that threatens you, never spray your tent, campsite, or belongings

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TIPS IF A BLACK BEAR BECOMES AGGRESSIVE

• BEAR APPROACHES- Stand your ground.
• Back away ONLY when the bear stops its approach.
• Make yourself look bigger by raising your arms and jacket or standing on a rock or stump.
• Yell loudly “Hey Bear”.
• Take out your bear spray and put in your hand and remove the safety latch.
• BEAR IS FOLLOWING YOU- Stand your ground.
• You must try to appear larger by holding up your arms, jacket, or standing on a rock or stump.
• Back away only when the bear stops its approach.
• Intimidate the Black Bear by making yourself look bigger and making noise (wave arms, shout, clap, bang items).
• Always stay together if you are in a group or with another person.
• BEAR CONTINUES TO FOLLOW YOU- Stand your ground and stay together.
• Intimidate the Black Bear by making yourself look bigger and making noise (wave arms, shout, clap, bang items).
• Prepare to fight or use bear spray.
• BEAR CHARGES YOU- Stand your ground.
• Remain calm. DO NOT PLAY DEAD.
• If you have bear spray, spray directly at the bear.
• BEAR MAKES CONTACT WITH YOU- Fight back with anything at hand (knife, sticks, rocks, binoculars, backpack, or by kicking.

Bear Deterrence Options Given by (NDOW) Nevada Department of Wildlife:

• Electric Fencing (small backyard livestock (chickens, goats), beehives or fruit trees must be protected by electric fencing.
• Garbage Security (BRC) Bear Resistant Containers (help secure your garbage).
• (BRC) Bear Resistant Containers: Residential Poly Carts with Automatic Locking Lids; Residential Poly Carts without Automatic Locking Lids; Residential Poly Carts and Cans with Screw on Lids; Other Recreational/Residential Trash Storage
• Containers; Animal Resistant Dumpsters.
• Noise Deterrents (bear spray, alarm to deter wildlife).
• Bird feeding (Use flowers instead and replace the bird feeders with flower baskets to ensure you are feeding the hummingbirds and not the bears). Spread the bird seed instead of hanging a container full of seed.
• Protect your property.

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BEARWISE (www.bearwise.org) & (https://www.fishwildlife.org/afwa-inspires/bearwise-program)

• BEARWISE- program provides information supported by science and useful resources given to people, neighborhoods, communities.
• BEARWISE- developed by state agency bear biologists giving consistent message about coexisting with bears.
• BEARWISE-today is managed by a team of North American biologists, communications professionals, supported by AFWA and BEARWISE state agencies.
• BEARWISE- offer information on black bear biology and behavior, and tips for prevention of conflicts with bears

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RESISTANT TRASH CANS ARE NECESSARY

• Prevents bears from rummaging through trash.
• Reduce dangerous and stressful encounters between bears and humans.
• By keeping bears out of human areas, bear resistant containers help maintain the balance of local ecosystems.
• Prevents property damage caused by wildlife scavenging through trash.
• Prevents the spead of disease caused by wildlife scavenging through trash.
• It maintains cleanliness in shared environments.

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https://www.ndow.org/news/secure-food-trash-and-other-summer-attractants-interagency-news-release/
https://bearwise.org/all-about-black-bears