Black bear
Are they napping in the sun? Foraging for food? Sleeping in their den? Our black bears are a comfortable pair, easily seen from either the bridge or lower viewing deck.
![two black bears in grass](https://www.nwtrek.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/50-two-black-bears-in-grass.jpg)
Our black bears Benton (male) and Fern (female) are brother and sister. They were rescued as orphans in Oregon in 2008, living at another zoo before finding a home at Northwest Trek in 2014. They’re very comfortable together, even taking turns resting in the den they’ve dug.
One name
Many colors.
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Black bears are large, strong animals with a wide range of coat colors from brown to bright blonde, smoky blue and even white. |
They live in forests, swamps and mountains across the U.S. and Canada into Mexico. |
Foraging, climbing
And digging.
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When not sleeping, bears spend most of their time foraging for food. They are also good tree climbers. |
In harsher climates, black bear will den up in hollow snags and burrows for winter. |
Food preferences?
Pretty much everything
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Black bears are omnivorous. Depending on the season, they eat primarily plants, sometimes carrion or animals. |
They breed from May-July, with females giving birth to a litter of 1-4 hairless cubs, each weighing about half a pound. |