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The bear facts

There are an estimated 120,000 to 160,000 black bears in B.C.
Clip art from Metro Creative
It is estimated that 120

  • There are an estimated 120,000 to 160,000 black bears in B.C.  The population is greater today than it was in 1870.

  • From 2004 to 2009, conservation officers in B.C. killed an average of 538 black bears and 37 grizzly bears each year due to real or perceived threats.

  • Hunters take between 3,500 and 4,000 bears in B.C. each year.

  • Black bear males are commonly between 60 kg and 125 kg (125 to 500 pounds. A cub’s birth weight is half a pound to one pound.

  • A black bear’s lifespan is 21 to 33 years.

  • A black bear’s sense of smell is estimated to be five times more sensitive than a dog’s, and their hearing exceeds human in both frequency range and sensitivity.

  • Black bears are mobile, and lean bears can run 45 km/h. They also climb quickly, and swim well, with a range of at least three kilometres in the water.

  • Bears are very intelligent and curious

  • Male black bears will generally have a territory of 15 to 30 km in diameter.

  • Even though they’re called black bears, their colour  is often brown or cinnamon.

Source The American Bear Association and Kanada.com