Black Bear Male to Female Comparisons
A curious and intelligent creature, the American black bear in the wild fascinates many people. Unless a human has encroached on their habitat, black bears tend to keep to themselves. Solitary animals by nature, black bears do not socialize within their species except during mating season. The male bear is commonly referred to as a boar and the female as a sow. Black bear offspring are called cubs.
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Size
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The typical weight of a boar ranges from 125 to 500 lbs. or more, whereas sows tend to be considerably smaller, ranging from 90 to 300 lbs. or more, according to the North American Bear Center. Comparably smaller than many other bear species, the American black bear stands on average about five feet tall when on its hind legs. A number of factors affect the size of bears, from age to season of the year, food availability and genetics. Boars reach full maturity in terms of size by age 12, compared to sows by age 6.
Appearance
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American black bears tend to have rounded ears, a long snout, small eyes and can range from black to brown in color. Sows tend to be leaner than males with a flatter forehead and a narrow head. Her ears tend to be proportionately larger to her head than male black bear's ears. According to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, male American bears exhibit a more muscular head, neck and shoulders than a female bear, and their heads are generally wider and rounder, as well.
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Demeanor
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Female American black bears display more caution than male bears, in particular when entering an open space. Their demeanor is more subdued overall, unless they have cubs, which would cause the female bear to be more aggressive and protective. Adult male black bears are more reclusive than females and young male bears. Male bears will become more aggressive during mating season and fight another boar for a receptive sow.
Habitat
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Between late November and March, black bears hibernate in dens. During their active months, black bears can travel great distances in search of food. Boars will travel considerably farther than sows. The territory of a male bear spans a 15- to 27-square-mile radius compared to an average 5-mile radius of a female black bear, as stated by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Diet
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American black bears are omnivores. Their diet typically consists of plants, berries, fish, insects and even garbage, among a number of other items. Bears are hungriest in early spring when they emerge from hibernating, however, food is scarcest during this time as foliage has not yet begun to flourish. During this period, bears will typically dine on carrion and small mammals. Little is known about how much food black bears in the wild eat on a daily basis, but their appetite increases and they spend more of their day foraging for food in early autumn in preparation for hibernation.
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References
- Photo Credit black bear image by isatori from Fotolia.com
