Post by marcel on Apr 26, 2018 0:12:21 GMT -5
Black bears are omnivores whose diet includes both plants and meat. They are apex predators in North America, with the exception of areas where they coexist with the brown bear . The black bear eats a wide variety of foods, mainly herbs, nuts and berries. In Washington State, black bears eat a large amount of skunk cabbage, horsetail and tree bark during the spring. They also commonly feed on spring acorns in Massachusetts.
Black Bear by a tree stumpThey also feed on carrion and insects (mainly for the larvae) such as carpenter ants, yellow jackets, bees, wasps and termites. They do raid bees' nests for honey, but more importantly for the bee larvae which are an easy source of protein. They also kill and eat small mammals (such as rodents) and ungulates, mostly the young. In Michigan and New York state, black bears have preyed on white-tailed deer fawns. In addition they have been recorded preying on elk calves in Idaho and moose calves in Alaska.
Additionally, black bears will eat salmon, suckers, alligator eggs, crayfish, and trout and will raid orchards, beehives, and agricultural crops. They may frequent garbage dumps or may raid the trash bins of businesses or private homes.
Black bears often drag their prey to cover, preferring to feed in seclusion and frequently begin feeding on the udder of lactating females, but generally prefer meat from the viscera. The skin of large prey is stripped back and turned inside out with the skeleton usually left largely intact. Unlike wolves and coyotes, black bears rarely scatter the remains of their kills. Vegetation around the carcass is usually matted down by black bears and their droppings are frequently found nearby. Black bears may attempt to cover remains of larger carcasses, though they do not do so with the same frequency as cougars and grizzly bears.
Source(s):
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Black_Bear
Black Bear by a tree stumpThey also feed on carrion and insects (mainly for the larvae) such as carpenter ants, yellow jackets, bees, wasps and termites. They do raid bees' nests for honey, but more importantly for the bee larvae which are an easy source of protein. They also kill and eat small mammals (such as rodents) and ungulates, mostly the young. In Michigan and New York state, black bears have preyed on white-tailed deer fawns. In addition they have been recorded preying on elk calves in Idaho and moose calves in Alaska.
Additionally, black bears will eat salmon, suckers, alligator eggs, crayfish, and trout and will raid orchards, beehives, and agricultural crops. They may frequent garbage dumps or may raid the trash bins of businesses or private homes.
Black bears often drag their prey to cover, preferring to feed in seclusion and frequently begin feeding on the udder of lactating females, but generally prefer meat from the viscera. The skin of large prey is stripped back and turned inside out with the skeleton usually left largely intact. Unlike wolves and coyotes, black bears rarely scatter the remains of their kills. Vegetation around the carcass is usually matted down by black bears and their droppings are frequently found nearby. Black bears may attempt to cover remains of larger carcasses, though they do not do so with the same frequency as cougars and grizzly bears.
Source(s):
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Black_Bear
Actually I had steaks out of 3 different bears and they were pretty good.
