Black bears are the largest mammals native to Maryland. Adults typically weigh between 150 and 400 pounds. Their color can range from black to brown to cinnamon. They have a tan muzzle and may have some white on their chest. Black bears have a short, bobbed tail and small, rounded ears. They live mostly in thick forested areas in Maryland. Black bears are shy, solitary animals. They require a lot of space for their home range. Adult black bears can have a home range of about 15 to 25 square miles.
When the land was being settled, the black bear’s habitat was cleared for farms and villages. Because settlers misunderstood bears and felt threatened by them, bears were killed in large numbers. As a result, black bears were soon found only in small numbers and only in the westernmost part of the state. In 1956 there were only about 12 black bears in the whole state. When the black bear population was studied in 2000, as many as 437 bears were estimated to live in Maryland.
Black bears eat a lot of different foods. They will eat whatever is easy to get. Their favorite natural foods include plants, berries, fruits, acorns, insects, roots, and grasses. They may also eat reptiles, amphibians, fish, and dead animals. If available, black bears will eat non-natural foods associated with humans, such as garbage, bird seed, pet food, and agricultural crops like corn. Black bears will only come near a home if there is something to attract them, such as food. Once a bear finds available food, it will likely return again and again.
Both black bears and humans feel threatened when confronted with one another. When threatened, bears often display unusual behaviors, such as hitting the ground with its paws, charging only to stop several feet from the threat, or standing upright on its hind legs. Since humans usually perceive these behaviors as being aggressive, black bears are once again being viewed as a problem.