[4][page needed] American black bears living in areas near human settlements or around a considerable influx of recreational human activity often come to rely on foods inadvertently provided by humans, especially during summertime.

[23] American black bears currently inhabit much of their original Canadian range, though they seldom occur in the southern farmlands of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba; they have been extirpated on Prince Edward Island since 1937.

Nick Name: Blackbear Hair Color: Dyed Blonde.

American black bears are highly dexterous, being capable of opening screw-top jars and manipulating door latches. An average male weighs 136 kg (300 lb). Generally, American black bears are largely crepuscular in foraging activity, though they may actively feed at any time. [24] The total Canadian black bear population is between 396,000 and 476,000,[25] based on surveys taken in the mid-1990s in seven Canadian provinces, though this estimate excludes American black bear populations in New Brunswick, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan.

American black bear meat had historically been held in high esteem among North America's indigenous people and colonists.

In Virginia, the total length of adult bear skulls was found to average 262 to 317 mm (10.3 to 12.5 in). [70] At birth, cubs weigh 280–450 g (0.62–0.99 lb) and measure 20.5 cm (8.1 in) in length. Approximately 10% of the population of this subspecies have white or cream-colored coats due to a recessive gene and are called "Kermode bears" or "spirit bears".

[37] In Minnesota, 99% of wintering adult bears were able to survive the hibernation cycle in one study. There are around 80,900 licensed American black bear hunters in all of Canada.

[128] During the European colonisation of eastern North America, thousands of American black bears were hunted for their meat, fat and fur. [128] According to the second volume of Frank Forester's Field Sports of the United States, and British Provinces, of North America: The flesh of the [black] bear is savoury, but rather luscious, and tastes not unlike pork. According to Jack Hanna's Monkeys on the Interstate, a bear captured in Sanford, Florida, was thought to have been the offspring of an escaped female Asian black bear and a male American black bear.

Historically, American black bears were hunted by both Native Americans and European settlers. After these prehistoric ursids became extinct during the last glacial period 10,000 years ago, American black bears were probably the only bear present in much of North America until the migration of brown bears to the rest of the continent.[10]. They are also capable of rapidly learning to distinguish different shapes such as small triangles, circles and squares. Generally bigger than its mainland relatives, ranging in size from 90 to 270 kg (200 to 600 lb) and averaging 135 kg (298 lb). The breeding period lasts for two to three months.

[80], The hibernating American black bear does not display the same rate of muscle and bone atrophy relative to other nonhibernatory animals that are subject to long periods of inactivity due to ailment or old age. Sightings of itinerant American black bears in the Driftless Area of southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa, and southwest Wisconsin are common. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in search of food.

Unlike the hunting of hibernating grizzly bears, which was fraught with danger, hibernating American black bears took longer to awaken and hunting them was thus safer and easier.