This cheeky bear was caught on Ring doorbell footage and only left the scene when the house owner called out. Even then, the plucky bear took a bag of garbage with them.
Black Bears Raiding Yards
It is not unusual to see black bears near human settlements and in yards and gardens. They can often be seen wandering through neighborhoods and strolling down streets. Some can appear very confident indeed. American black bears are found in North America where they are the most numerous bear species. Compared to some other bear species, they are quite small but they are heavily built and have sharp claws. They also have short and thick, dark hair (it is not always black), small eyes, and pointed ears. In the wild, a black bear would lead a solitary life and sleep most of the day. Then, they go out hunting at night. So, it is not surprising that they turn up in people’s yards when it is dark! Food is very important to black bears and they spend a lot of time looking for it. They also like to expend as little effort as possible getting hold of it, and this is why they are so attracted to human settlements. We tend to have loads of food around the place! Bears are opportunists and will not turn down a meal that just happens to be in someone’s yard. In preparation for winter, they need even more food so that they can build up their reserves of fat ready for semi-hibernation.
The Diet of Black Bears
So, what do black bears eat when they are not raiding our yards? Black bears are carnivores and do need to eat meat but not a great deal of it. Between 75 and 95 percent of their diet is made up of plants. They like to eat fruits and nuts which they pluck from trees and shrubs. However, they also eat roots, bulbs, and grasses that they pluck from the ground. The meat protein in their diet is mainly provided by small animals, like insects and rodents. However, they will also hunt larger animals when they need to. Black bears can catch young deer and some develop excellent fishing skills. Carrion is also attractive to them-–because they do not have to catch it themselves!
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