The post Adorable Black Bear Enjoys a Lazy Day Lounging in a Tree appeared first on A-Z Animals.
As cooler weather begins to set in, people tend to become less active. The cold leads to a lack of motivation to move, prompting people to relax and be lazy instead. Animals are no different. This is what leads some species to hibernate and sleep through the winter. Before that, however, animals need to bulk up and gain weight to survive for months without food. This can make them a bit more tired than they are in the spring, as shown in a YouTube video of a bear relaxing, which demonstrates that bears can be just as lazy as people.
Adorable Black Bear Lounges in a Tree
A black bear lounges in a tree in Alaska, enjoying being lazy.
© – Original
A video of a black bear has received tens of thousands of views in a matter of weeks due to its playful nature. However, this black bear was not tumbling around on the ground to shake off hibernation fatigue. Instead, it was enjoying time in a tree filled with fall foliage, moving through the branches with ease.
On September 28, a video showed a black bear lounging in a tree in Alaska. The bear resembled a trapeze artist as it moved up and down the branches, apparently after waking from a nap. The bear was in no hurry to come down from its resting spot high in the tree, taking time to stretch, yawn, and even rest one last time before making its way down. It is no surprise that the black bear has been viewed 81,500 times, out of the sheer adorableness of the video. However, this behavior is common for black bears, which spend a good deal of time with their paws off the ground.
Black Bears Are Known For Climbing Trees
Black bears are excellent tree climbers, scaling 100 feet in 30 seconds.
©Mark Castiglia/Shutterstock.com
Seven of the eight bear species in the world can climb trees. (Polar bears do not climb trees, mainly because there are none available to climb in their habitat.) But, of all the species, the black bear is the most impressive. This is because black bears can climb 100 feet up a tree in as little as 30 seconds.
The reason that black bears are the best climbers of all bear species has to do with their claw shape. The claws are curved, allowing them to grip a tree with ease. This, coupled with their sheer upper-body strength, makes black bears the undisputed champions of tree climbing. Therefore, if a bear is spotted in a tree, it is likely a black bear.
Why Bears Climb Trees
Black bears relax, forage for food, and evade predators in trees.
©Ben McMurtray/Shutterstock.com
Despite the black bear in the YouTube video clearly having a good time lounging around, climbing trees is not just an act of relaxation. There are a variety of reasons why black bears climb trees, which is why their bodies are designed to be excellent climbers. The reasons black bears climb trees include:
- Climbing allows black bears to escape from predators. This is especially true for younger black bears.
- Food sources that black bears rely on are in trees. Without the ability to climb, they would miss out on a large part of the fruits and nuts that round out the bears’ diet.
- Seeing the habitat from the canopy of the trees allows black bears to determine if there are food sources available, in addition to seeing any predators that may be foraging below.
- Black bears climb trees as a safe place to relax and sleep.
Trees play a significant role in the lives of black bears. Therefore, in states with dense forests and black bear populations, black bears are likely to be found.
Where Black Bears Are Found in the United States
Black bears are located in 40 states in the U.S., with the largest population being in Alaska.
©Ben McMurtray/Shutterstock.com
Black bears are notoriously shy animals. They can coexist with people, yet are rarely seen. Therefore, it can be surprising to some that there are between 339,000 to 445,000 black bears living in the United States.
The state with the largest black bear population is Alaska. In Alaska alone, there are more than 100,000 black bears. Therefore, it is not surprising that the YouTube video of the black bear in the tree came from The Last Frontier State, given its population. There are 40 states that the black bear calls home in the U.S. Some of the states with the largest black bear populations include:
| State | Number Of Black Bears |
| Alaska | 100,000 |
| California | 30,000 to 40,000 |
| Maine | 24,000 to 36,000 |
| Oregon | 25,000 to 30,000 |
| Washington | 25,000 to 30,000 |
| Idaho | 20,000 to 30,000 |
| Wisconsin | 24,000 |
Those who tend to live closer to the foothills or mountains will see black bears more often than others. However, as residential development has encroached on black bear habitats, it is now common to see black bears in neighborhoods, especially where food sources like trash and birdseed are accessible.
Black Bears Are Incredibly Strong
Black bears are the smallest bear species in North America, but still incredibly strong.
©Josef Pittner/Shutterstock.com
It may go without saying, but black bears are powerful creatures. Despite these bears generally choosing to walk away from interactions with people rather than engage, they would easily overpower a person. This has to do with the skeletal structure and muscle mass black bears have.
Rumors have swirled that black bears are capable of lifting a ton over their head. While strong, this simply is not true. Black bears are smaller than other species, meaning they lift less. While a grizzly bear has the strength to lift several humans, a black bear is capable of lifting an adult deer. This would be approximately 150 pounds to 300 pounds. Though impressive, it is not anywhere near a ton.
Black bears are built for climbing, thanks to their muscular forearms. This strength is necessary to support their substantial adult weight. Black bears also have powerful rear legs, which allow them to stand upright, walk short distances on two legs, and run at speeds up to 35 miles per hour. This is why people who encounter bears should never try to outrun them, as it would be impossible.
How Big Do Black Bears Get?
Black bears can weigh up to 550 pounds, but tend to weigh less in the spring after they emerge from hibernation.
©nialat/Shutterstock.com
Black bears may be the smallest of the bear species found in North America, but that does not mean they are not substantial. Between the muscle and fat the bears have on their bodies, black bears are hefty creatures.
The typical black bear weighs between 150 pounds and 550 pounds. Males typically weigh more than females, so they are on the higher end of the weight range. When black bears are putting on weight before hibernation, they bulk up substantially. In some instances, black bears can gain 30 pounds per week. This is necessary because bears will lose between 15% and 40% of their pre-hibernation weight as they emerge from their dens in the spring. Therefore, the same black bear can look completely different when compared in the fall and spring months.
Black Bears Eat A Varied Diet
Black bears are omnivores, with 90% of their diets consisting of fruits, nuts, seeds, and plants.
©Michael Tatman/Shutterstock.com
Bears are typically seen as carnivores, given their sharp teeth and massive claws. However, black bears are omnivores, eating a varied diet. This means just about anything in their habitat is fair game when it comes to mealtime. Black bears have a diet that leans more toward vegetarian than carnivorous. This is because 90% of the bears’ diet consists of fruits, nuts, seeds, and plants. While they also eat fish and mammals, the majority of what they consume is plant-based.
Some of the most common things black bears eat include:
| Black Bear Food Groups | Types of Food |
| Plants | Clover, alfalfa, dandelions, lilies, fireweed, jewelweed, wild lettuce, tender grasses |
| Nuts | Hazelnuts, beechnuts, hickory nuts, acorns |
| Fruit | Blackberries, raspberries, elderberries, cherries, apples, plums |
| Mammals | Deer, elk, moose, caribou, beavers, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, mice |
| Insects | Ants, grasshoppers, moths, caterpillars, earthworms |
| Birds | Ducks, geese, grouse, and their eggs |
| Reptiles | Frogs, lizards, young alligators |
| Fish | Salmon, trout |
Since black bears cannot always see available prey, climbing a tree is an excellent way for them to gain perspective on their environment when hungry. It also allows bears access to eggs, nuts, and other dietary delicacies they enjoy.
The bear in the Instagram clip is enjoying a lazy day in the tree it climbed. But this is just a snapshot of how trees are used in the black bears’ lives. Climbing trees serves a variety of purposes for a black bear. This is why young black bears are taught to climb trees shortly after emerging from their dens. This not only keeps them safe and teaches them how to find food, but also allows them to play—all of which are essential for black bears to thrive.
The post Adorable Black Bear Enjoys a Lazy Day Lounging in a Tree appeared first on A-Z Animals.
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