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Kingdom: Animalia
Black Bear |
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Description Species Range and Distribution Habitat Requirements and Feeding
Author: Jana Milliken Site created by: Rachael McCormick Site Maintained by: Dr. Mark Wallace
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Current Management Status By most estimates, the number of black bears in North America today is between 400,000 and 750,000 (Domico 1988). Conservation efforts aimed at the black bear in the northeastern U.S. began in the 1940s. Hunting has been eliminated in New Jersey and their efforts have paid off: there are now more black bears in this region then there were 50 years ago (Domico 1988). Management status in the western and southwestern U.S. includes an autumn hunting season. An additional winter season in Washington State is in place due to timber loss by the bears feeding habit of tearing fir trees apart in search of inner cambium layers (Domico 1988). States differ on their baiting laws. Those such as Georgia, Massachusetts, California, and New Mexico have illegalized the practice and Oregon, Virginia, Wyoming, and Arizona allow it. The differences in laws between states are due to anti-hunting lobbying and negative public perception (McLaughlin and Smith 1990).
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