American black bear Facts for Kids
Ursus americanus · UR-sus uh-mer-ih-KAY-nus
A common bear of North American forests that eats mostly plants.
- 🏃 speed: not yet checked
- ⚖️ 86 to 902 lb39 to 409 kg1
- 📏 3.9 to 6.6 ft1.2 to 2 m1 long
- 🎂 10 years10 years1
- 🍽️ plants and animals
- Doing fine (Least Concern)
An American black bear is a big, strong, furry animal. It lives in forests in North America. It eats mostly plants.
American black bears live in forests across North America, from Alaska to Mexico. They eat mostly plants: grasses in spring, and fruit in summer. They also eat insects and sometimes animals that have died.
The American black bear lives in forests across North America, from northern Alaska east across Canada and south into central Mexico. It likes thick brush with plenty of food. It is an omnivore that eats mostly plants: grasses in spring, then fruit in summer. A small share of its food is animal food, mostly insects and animals that have died. Most black bears live about ten years in the wild.
How big is a American black bear?
American black bear in numbers
| Length | 3.9 to 6.6 ft1.2 to 2 m1total body length; males and females |
|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder | no checked number yet |
| Weight | 86 to 902 lb39 to 409 kg1females and males |
| Top speed | no checked number yet |
| How long it lives | 10 years10 years1most often, in the wild; up to 30 |
| What it eats | grasses, fruit, nuts and insects, and sometimes animals that have died |
| Where it lives | forests across North America, in thick brush with plenty of food |
| What kind | Mammals |
| Is it in danger? | Doing fine (Least Concern)2 |
A number we couldn’t find on a page we trust says so, instead of guessing.
Wow!
- A black bear eats mostly plants.
- It lives in forests from Alaska to Mexico.
- In spring it eats grasses.
Compare the American black bear
Friends and neighbours
Grizzly bear
Raccoon
MooseThree questions
Books about the American black bear, free at the library
Ask a grown-up to tap the button: it shows where to borrow a book about the American black bear for free.
For teachers
Use this animal in class: its facts are on this page, and the cards print from it.
Where these numbers come from
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Ursus americanus (American black bear), checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, American black bear (Q122783), checked 30 October 2026.