Dustin D. Bowdoinham Community School, Grade 4
My name is Dustin. I'm studying bears. I wanted to study bears because I once saw a bear in Baxter State Park. The smallest bear in North America is the black bear. Black bears can grow up to 200-500 pounds. The biggest bear ever found in North America was 802 pounds. Most males weigh up to 700 pounds. Females weigh from 70-250 pounds. Most bears are 5 feet long.
Many black bears are found in Maine. They like forest with nuts and acorns. They are mostly omnivores. Most bears eat grass, berries, buds, flowers, fruit, fish, rabbits, raccoons, honey, mice, insects, ants, bees, yellow jackets, and they don't eat meat much. Some bears have curved claws. Amazingly they aren't very good predators. Their favorite meat is rabbit and ground hogs.
During the winter they go into a deep sleep. They don't really hibernate, so they can wake themselves up. The cubs are born in the winter. Mothers warn their cubs when danger is near. Bears can run up to 60 miles an hour. Bears also have color vision.
1. Internet
2. World Book
3. Bear Book
Black Bear U of Michigan Animal Diversity Web