Ursus americanus

The native black bear, one of North Carolina’s largest land mammals, still lives in good numbers in the state’s far eastern and western parts. In winter, mountain bears often head to hollows under trees or rocks and enter a rest period until warm weather arrives. Eastern bears may remain active all winter, foraging for food. They love corn, gallberries, and delicious beetles dug from rotten logs.

Cool Links:

Black Bear Home Page - Black bear mini-course, facts, sounds, populations, articles, stories, and a huge collection of excellent photos, including bear signs and "Den Cams". Part of the North American Bear Center site.

Secrets of Hibernation - "Slumbering black bears may hold physiological clues that could benefit everything from organ preservation to kidney disorders, human hibernation to long-distance space travel."  Part of NOVA's "Japan's Secret Garden" companion Web site.

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