The American Black Bear
The American Black Bear
American Black Bear
Quiet giant of the green world,
Hidden in black among leafy shadows,
Ambling toward the luscious scents of life,
Craving space in which to be
Wild and big
Honestly, don’t you wake up some days feeling a bit bearish? Walking can take the bear out of you, but the hike may lead you into bear territory. The Northwest has an abundance of American Black Bears in the forests and woods of its more remote areas. People can also spot them near backyards or greenbelts in urbanizing areas as their habitat is rapidly diminishing. Their coats actually range in color from cinnamon brown to the darker black brown of their name. Sometimes they may even have patches of white on their chests. An adult may stand between four to six feet tall, but they usually only stand to get a better view or “whiff”. They prefer to amble along on all fours with a rolling gait that is a result of slightly shorter forepaws and a coordination of front and rear paws working in unison rather than alternation.
The black bears choose old logs, caves or depressions formed by river banks or culverts for their winter dens, but in spring they emerge to seek carrion and the first produce of spring in green leaves and twigs along southern slopes. Females birth and nurse their cubs during the long winter days of hibernation. By the end of winter the cubs are fat from their mother’s milk and roaring with energy. The survival of the cubs is dependent on the mother’s skill in teaching them to forage and hunt. They remain fairly dependent for almost two years.
The black bear eats both plants and animals. Its paws with five claws are well adapted for digging, picking and climbing. Unlike Winnie the Pooh, they do not dig into the bee hive for honey, but to gather bee larvae which act as a rich source of protein. While bears are powerful and capable of killing an adult elk with a single blow to the neck, they seldom attack unless threatened. Except for an occasional grunt, these large mammals are strangely silent creatures. They intimidate more with their size but tend to avoid encounters. With small black eyes and small rounded ears, Smoky the Bear and numerous cuddly toys for children reflect their image.
“All things are individual instruments through which Spirit thinks, speak, acts, and reveals Itself. We are interrelated in a common accord, a common purpose, and a common good. We are all members of a vast, cosmic orchestra in which each living instrument is essential to the complementary and harmonious planning of the whole.” J. Allen Boone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Black_Bear
Quiet giant of the green world,
Hidden in black among leafy shadows,
Ambling toward the luscious scents of life,
Craving space in which to be
Wild and big
Honestly, don’t you wake up some days feeling a bit bearish? Walking can take the bear out of you, but the hike may lead you into bear territory. The Northwest has an abundance of American Black Bears in the forests and woods of its more remote areas. People can also spot them near backyards or greenbelts in urbanizing areas as their habitat is rapidly diminishing. Their coats actually range in color from cinnamon brown to the darker black brown of their name. Sometimes they may even have patches of white on their chests. An adult may stand between four to six feet tall, but they usually only stand to get a better view or “whiff”. They prefer to amble along on all fours with a rolling gait that is a result of slightly shorter forepaws and a coordination of front and rear paws working in unison rather than alternation.
The black bears choose old logs, caves or depressions formed by river banks or culverts for their winter dens, but in spring they emerge to seek carrion and the first produce of spring in green leaves and twigs along southern slopes. Females birth and nurse their cubs during the long winter days of hibernation. By the end of winter the cubs are fat from their mother’s milk and roaring with energy. The survival of the cubs is dependent on the mother’s skill in teaching them to forage and hunt. They remain fairly dependent for almost two years.
The black bear eats both plants and animals. Its paws with five claws are well adapted for digging, picking and climbing. Unlike Winnie the Pooh, they do not dig into the bee hive for honey, but to gather bee larvae which act as a rich source of protein. While bears are powerful and capable of killing an adult elk with a single blow to the neck, they seldom attack unless threatened. Except for an occasional grunt, these large mammals are strangely silent creatures. They intimidate more with their size but tend to avoid encounters. With small black eyes and small rounded ears, Smoky the Bear and numerous cuddly toys for children reflect their image.
“All things are individual instruments through which Spirit thinks, speak, acts, and reveals Itself. We are interrelated in a common accord, a common purpose, and a common good. We are all members of a vast, cosmic orchestra in which each living instrument is essential to the complementary and harmonious planning of the whole.” J. Allen Boone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Black_Bear
