Reports
Kedron Elementary
Louisiana Black Bear
| My animal's family is Vertebrate My animal's region is in the Southeast of the United States. My vertebrate category is Mammals. My mammal's common name is the Louisiana Black Bear. The scientific name of the Louisiana Black Bear is Ursus americaus luteolus. My animal's status is Threatened. An average black bear weighs from 200-300 lbs. Height: to shoulder 2-3 ft. Length: 5-6 feet. Weight: a male may weigh more than 282 kilograms (600) pounds. Color: The black bear is large and bulky. It has long, black hair and short, well-haired tail. It has small eyes are large nostrils. The muzzle is yellowish-brown with a white patch that is sometimes on the lower throat and chest. It has five toes with short curved claws on all 4 feet. Black Bears can also have cinnamon brown hair. The key habitat requirements for black bears are food, water, cover, and den sites. Black bears live mostly in forests. They sometimes live in swamps, desserts, and even near rivers, lakes and oceans. They live in dens in the states of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. The dens are made out of hollow trees, brush piles, and ground nest. No pregnant female used a ground nest for a natal den. Ground dens are located in wooded habitat. Black bears do not migrate, they hibernate. Their lifespan is 25 years, in the wild. The primary foods of this animal are fresh leaves, fruits, berries, nuts, roots, and tubers. The secondary foods are insects and small animals. There are two-three cubs born every year. The cubs are born in January or February while the mother is "hibernating". They sleep during the nights and travel during days. Some interesting facts about my mammal are the front claws. They are generally longer than the hind claws. Although known as a carnivore, the black bear is a true omnivore. Although capable of climbing trees, adult bears generally prefer remaining on the ground. Habitat destruction/modification is the primary threat
to the Louisiana black bear. The habitat quantity has been reduced by more
than 80% as of 1980. Black bears also get killed by natural causes like diseases,
cannibalism, drowning, maternal care, and climbing accidents. How human beings kill them is by habitat destruction, hunting, trapping, poaching
vehicle and train collisions, electrocution, depredation/nuisance kills, disturbance (causing den abandonment), and accidents associated with
research activities. There is a cub adoption and the Black Bear
Conservation Committee. I could not find out if Georgia is doing anything to help this animal. I don't know
exactly when this animal became threatened, but it happened sometime in 1976.
What I would like to do to save this mammal is to make people aware that they are killing a miraculous mammal. Join one of the committees
or adopt a cub. I learned a lot from this project and I think every classroom in the
United States should do this project! |
Dutch - Nederlandse vertaling volgt z.s.m. |
Written by / geschreven door : Alex |
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Copyright 1997, 2000 - Joan Goble and René de Vries
