A black bear lives in forests and other places with trees. Let us find out how it lives.

Not every black bear is black. Some are brown or cinnamon colored instead.

The black bear is the smallest of the bears that live in North America.

Black bears are good at climbing trees. They climb to find food such as ripe fruit. Black bears can swim, too.

Black bears eat both plants and animals. They eat berries and nuts. They also eat insects such as ants.

Where salmon are available, black bears eat salmon in late summer and fall.

A black bear has a very good sense of smell.

Black bears spend the winter in dens.

Black bear cubs are born in winter, in the mother bear's den. Newborn cubs are blind and have almost no hair.

Adult black bears usually live alone, but a mother stays with her cubs. Cubs stay with their mother for about a year and a half. They go into the den with her again the next winter.

Words to know

• den: bear home
• salmon: a fish
• insects: small bugs
• cinnamon: reddish brown