They live in the oak-hickory forests of the Interior Highlands in Arizona. It is the smallest of the three North American bear species, which include grizzlies and polar bears. Black bears in Alaska will make their dens in the snow, under root structures, or in caves. In the summer, they fish for spawning salmon in Alaskas rivers. Louisiana has 700 to 1,000 black bears. When Are Black Bears Most Active? It iscurrently illegal to hunt black bearsin this state as they continue to be federally protected by state laws. Without alternative foods on the landscape, hunger drives female bears to hunters baits and the result is hunters taking more females. REGIONALAre black bears in trouble in far northeastern Minnesota? Cubs are born in the middle of the winter denning period, usually between mid-January and early February. The states Department of Environmental Protection estimates there are 800 to 1,000 black bears in the state. That seems like a large number for a small state, but New Hampshire is rich in forested areas. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. if (!document.MAX_used) document.MAX_used = ','; But it is some sort of lot easier if you drag the rodent in the other direction. document.write ("?zoneid=6&block=1&blockcampaign=1"); Remaining relatively stable since 2005, the estimated population of black bears in Maine is 24,000 to 36,000. Help keep them wild by following these tips on food storage and bear safety. There are no resident black bears in Nebraska. Black bears in Arizona occupy woodland habitats and coniferous forests. An estimated population of 100,000 bears inhabits Alaska, where a majority of about 8,300 to 16,000 bears live in portions of the Nowitna, Kuskokwim, Yukon River, and Innoko drainages based on the latest2007 statistics. For the most part, adult black bears lead solitary lives, except when mating season takes place. Cubs and their mothers stay in their dens for the rest of the winter while the mother bear rests and the cubs nurse and grow. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Wildlife, black bears are the most abundant and widely distributed of the three North American bear species living in the state. But we are getting farther and farther from our truck." They wander to neighborhoods to look for food, especially in garbage bins, bird feeders, and open composts since theyre highly accessible. Nebraska Wildlife Removal News: However, there have been recent black bear sightings in states with no known black bear breeding populations due to wandering bears from neighboring states. Occupying forested habitats varying from dry woodlands to coastal rainforests, black bears are estimated to be around 25,000 to 30,000 in Washington. Bears also are believed to migrate east out of the Laramie Mountains farther south in Wyoming. They were once common statewide but had vanished by the start of the 19th century. The average lifespan of a black bear in the wild is around 20-25 years. While Marylands black bear populations are steadily increasing, they have a relatively slower growth rate. if (document.mmm_fo) document.write ("&mmm_fo=1"); The black bear and Louisiana black bear were native to Texas, but both species were wiped out. Black bears can live for a relatively long time in the wild. if (!document.MAX_used) document.MAX_used = ','; the wildlife conservation official remarked, "Hey, I don't want to tell you guys how to do something. Thats true, in part, because the decline in the number of permits has coincided with a dramatic increase in hunter success in recent years, at least in the part of the state subject to harvest quotas, which includes the North Country. There are occasional black bear sightings in the state, but these bears are probably passing through from other states. Like other states with healthy black bear populations, Wisconsin has many forested wild areas. Vargas, C., et al. Population: 17,000 to 20,000 black bears. There are no black bears in Delaware. It has been removed from the list in2016since it now has a total of 500 to 750 bears distributed across the state. Fortunately,bear sightings in eastern countieshave become more apparent in recent years. The climate is typically warm and humid, but it does experience cool to cold winters. Black bears used to be common in Tennessee, but populations dwindled after European settlement. Discover the Pizzly Bear A Hybrid Between Grizzlies and Polar Bears, What Do Grizzly Bears Eat? if (document.MAX_used != ',') document.write ("&exclude=" + document.MAX_used); Do All Bees Make Honey? The black bear population in the 1950s had decreased and was only hundreds in number. Black bears are considered esteemed game animals in the state with strict regulations on hunting. In colder parts of Alaska, black bears will hibernate for about seven months. Just like their Great Smoky Mountains counterparts, pregnant black bears in Glacier Bay give birth to their cubs in their dens. The black bear population in Tennessee is estimated to be around 6,000 bears, according to theTennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, with roughly1,500 bearsliving in Great Smoky Mountains National Park alone. the wildlife conservation official stopped to talk to them, and asked why they were just sitting there. There . In 2008, the state established the Human-Bear Encounters Procedures and Protocol. It is the only state on our list where the population has fallen. Cubs will remain with their mother for about 18 months or until she is ready to mate again.