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black bear
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Illustration of an American black bear (Ursus americanus) climbing a tree, showing its black fur and sturdy build, with a scale bar indicating 30 centimeters or 12 inches for size reference. World map showing the geographic ranges of the eight bear species, each marked in a different color. The American black bear is found across much of North America, the polar bear in Arctic regions, the brown bear across northern North America, Europe, and Asia, and the spectacled bear in a small area of northwestern South America. In Asia, the Asiatic black bear, sloth bear, sun bear, and giant panda have distinct, mostly non-overlapping ranges in the eastern and southern parts of the continent. black bear (Ursus americanus) Adult female black bear (Ursus americanus) with young A black bear sow, Ursus americanus, sits on a tree branch with her two cubs among dense green leaves.
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Close-up of an American black bear, Ursus americanus, showing its dark fur, rounded ears, and lighter snout against a blurred green background. American black bear black bear black bears
At a Glance
American black bear
black bear summary
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Illustration of an American black bear (Ursus americanus) climbing a tree, showing its black fur and sturdy build, with a scale bar indicating 30 centimeters or 12 inches for size reference.
black bear (Ursus americanus) American black bear (Ursus americanus).

black bear

mammal
Also known as: American bear, American black bear, Ursus americanus, blue-black glacier bear, blue-gray glacier bear, brown bear, cinnamon bear, white bear(Show More)
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Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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black bear, (Ursus americanus), the most common bear (family Ursidae), found in the forests of North America, including parts of northern Mexico. The American black bear consists of only one species and 16 subspecies. Its colour varies, however, even among members of the same litter. White markings may occur on the chest, sometimes in the shape of a V. Depending on their colour variations, black bears are often referred to as cinnamon bears, blue-gray or...

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