Bears

ABOUT BLACK BEARS

Nearly all eastern North American black bears are jet black, often with a white chest patch. Individual bears may have coats that are blond, cinnamon, light or dark brown, or variations and mixtures of these colours.

Adults are usually 150–180 cm long from nose to tail, and approximately 90 cm from foot to shoulder when on all fours. Tail length is about 12 cm. Males usually weigh 115–270 kg, females 92–140 kg. Sharp, curved, black claws enable black bears to climb trees easily. Black bears tend to be most active at night, but may feed or travel at any time.

DID YOU KNOW? Though their regular gait is usually a lumbering walk, black bears can run about 45 km per hour and also swim well.

Bears in the City

Black Bears are common in our region, and will occasionally wander into urban areas. As a general rule, they are "passing through", and the best course of action is to let them do just that.

• Avoid leaving garbage, pet food and other bear attractants outside
• Do not try to chase a bear, and do not let dogs harass it. A bear that is provoked may become aggressive, or may retreat into a tree, which only delays its exit from your neighbourhood
• Call RCMP or a Conservation officer to report a bear in a residential area
• If you have an aggressive encounter with wildlife, and/or if public safety is at risk, call the Turn in Poachers and Polluters (TIPP) line at 1-800-667-7561 or from your SaskTel cell phone at #5555.