AnimalID

Name

5017

Black Bear

LocationName:

North America

Origin:

Original ZT

PurchaseCost:

$850

RequiresResearch:

No

IsClimber:

No

IsJumper:

Yes

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

Description:

The American black bear is one of eight species of bears found throughout the world. Although the majority of black bears are actually black, there is a range of color within this species, including white, blonde, cinnamon, and various shades of brown. They can weigh from 125 to 660 pounds, depending on food availability, with males averaging a third larger than females. These bears lack the distinct shoulder hump of the grizzly bear.

The American black bear is the most widespread and numerous bear in North America, with a population estimated at somewhere between 400,000 and 750,000. They are presently found in northern Mexico, 32 states of the United States, and nearly all of Canada. Although this animal is flexible in its habitat requirements, it prefers to live near streams in forested regions containing the occasional open meadow. Black bears will use caves, holes under tree roots, or hollow trees as dens. Large, intelligent creatures, they require a larger than average exhibit when in captivity, with areas of sand, water, and rocks for stimulation.

Bears have a prominent place in the lore of Native Americans. They were thought to possess great powers, such as immortality and healing. In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a black bear while on a hunting trip, and the toy bears made to celebrate this event were named "Teddy" after Theodore.

Black bears are excellent tree climbers and can also move quickly on the ground, with recorded speeds of over 25 miles per hour. They are capable of walking on their hind legs, but they usually shuffle along on all fours instead. Bears growl loudly when fighting. Mother bears make a woofing sound to warn cubs of danger and will call them with a whimper.

Except for females with cubs, black bears are fairly solitary. In general, black bears avoid humans and are not aggressive except when feeding, injured, or protecting their young or themselves. However, these bears can do serious damage to cornfields and honeybee hives and may become a problem around campgrounds if food is left within their reach. In some cases, black bears have seriously hurt and even killed people who feed them.

Black bears like to forage in the evening or early morning. In the spring, they eat mostly grasses and herbs, and various nuts, roots, and fruits in the summer and fall. They eat insects as well as carrion and garbage, when available. They will also catch young deer and spawning salmon, depending on season and location. And of course they love honey! Bears lay down a layer of fat in the late summer and early fall. During hibernation, they will lose 15% to 30% of their weight, and up to 40% in the case of a female with newborn cubs.

Like polar and grizzly bears, black bears give birth while hibernating, and the tiny newborns will begin nursing on their own. By spring, when the mother is ready to leave the den, the cubs are much larger and able to follow her. A mother bear may give birth to between one and four cubs, with twins being the most common.

Female bears are very protective of their young. Cubs who stray from their mother's side may fall victim to adult male bears or wolves. Other predators of bear cubs include bobcats, eagles, mountain lions, and feral dog packs.

Adult black bears are preyed upon by grizzly bears, wolves, and humans. In North America, an estimated 30,000 black bears are killed annually by hunters. However, in spite of these losses, and although much of its historical habitat has been destroyed, the black bear population today is thriving.

Attractiveness Adult:

Attractiveness Young:

Initial Happiness:

Habitat Preference:

20

60

80

70

Captivity:

Crowd:

CrowdHappiness Change:

ClimbsCliffs:

10

20

-5

Yes

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

To build a good animal exhibit you need to ask a few questions: (click them for the answers)

Which fence is suitable for this animal in terms of strength, if it can be climbed or jumped over?

How big should the exhibit be and what Terrain should be used?

What foliage should be used?

What rocks should be used?

What shelter does the animal need?

What toy does the animal like?

How deep should the exhibit be if using the "Pit Method"?

2 level

FenceName

Purchase Cost

Height

Strength

Life:

Cost Effective

Stick Pole Fence

$75

2

225

12

16.0

Stick Pole Window Fence

$75

2

225

12

16.0

Chain-link Fence

$70

2

200

10

14.3

Post and Rail Fence

$90

2

250

12

13.3

Wood Slat Window Fence

$110

2

240

12

10.9

Wooden Slat Fence

$110

2

240

12

10.9

Rock Wall Fence

$150

2

280

14

9.3

Rock Window Fence

$150

2

280

14

9.3

Concrete Chain Fence

$150

2

275

14

9.3

Plexiglas Fence

$150

2

270

13

8.7

Iron Bar Fence

$180

2

290

14

7.8

Concrete Fence

$200

2

300

15

7.5

Reinforced Concrete Fence

$225

3

460

16

7.1

Reinforced Concrete and Glass Fence

$225

3

420

15

6.7

Concrete and Iron Bar Fence

$240

3

440

15

6.3

Electrified Chain-link Fence

$300

3

480

18

6.0

Electrified Iron Bar Fence

$350

3

400

18

5.1

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

Animal Density:

Min

Number of Animals/Exhibit

Max

35

1

3

Terrain Name

Value

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Deciduous Floor

60

21

42

63

84

105

126

147

168

189

210

Coniferous Floor

30

11

21

32

42

53

63

47

84

95

105

Grass

5

2

4

5

7

9

11

12

14

16

18

Rocks

7

10

20

29

39

49

59

69

78

88

98

Foliage

20

7

14

21

28

35

42

49

56

63

70

5

0

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

4

Exhibit Size

100

35

70

105

140

175

210

245

280

315

350

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

ID

Value

TreeName

Foliage Effect

Cost/ Square

Cost Effective

7026

10

Trembling Aspen Tree

52

$800

6.5

7022

2

Birch Tree

20

$580

3.4

7067

7

White Oak Tree

10

$150

6.7

7011

2

Maple Tree

5

$100

5.0

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

ID

Value

RockName

Size X

Size Y

Rock

Rock Effect

Purchase Cost

Cost Effective

9206

3

Small Rock

1

1

Yes

12

$55

21.8

9205

3

Medium Rock 

1

1

Yes

12

$75

16.0

9200

6

Large Rock

2

2

Yes

6

$150

4.0

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

Shelter ID

Shelter Name

Shelter Value

Shelter Effect

Purchase Cost

Capacity

Requires Research

8100

Rock Cave

25

15

$500

4

Yes

8112

Large Wood Shelter 

20

10

$325

6

Yes

8109

Large Concrete Shelter

20

10

$225

6

Yes

8111

Wood Shelter

18

8

$225

4

8108

Concrete Shelter

18

8

$175

4

8107

Small Concrete Shelter

15

5

$125

2

8110

Small Wood Shelter

15

5

$175

2

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

ToyID

ToyName

ToyValue

PurchaseCost

None

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

ReproductionChance:

High

SickChance:

10

ReproductionInterval(months):

5

SickChange:

-10

HappyReproduceThreshold:

95

DeathChance:

30

Offspring:

2

TimeDeath(months):

36

BabyToAdult(months):

5

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

Compatible Animals

Prey Animals

none

KeeperFoodType:

Meat

Giant Panda

Chimpanzee

Plains Zebra

Thomsons Gazelle

Gray Wolf

Olive Baboon

Mandrill

Lowland Gorilla

Red Kangaroo

Common Wildebeest

Ibex

Okapi

Moose

Gemsbok

American Bighorn Sheep

Giraffe

Dromedary Camel

Markhor

Greater Flamingo

Ostrich

Emporer Penguin

California Sea Lion

Giant Anteater

African Warthog

Black Buck

Bongo

Sable Antelope

Man

General Information

Building an Exhibit

The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?