Black bear
Are they napping in the sun? Foraging for food? Sleeping in their den? Our black bears are a comfortable pair, easily seen from either the bridge or lower viewing deck.
Our black bears Benton (male) and Fern (female) are brother and sister. They were rescued as orphans in Oregon in 2008, living at another zoo before finding a home at Northwest Trek in 2014. They’re very comfortable together, even taking turns resting in the den they’ve dug.
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One name
Many colors.
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Black bears are large, strong animals with a wide range of coat colors from brown to bright blonde, smoky blue and even white. |
They live in forests, swamps and mountains across the U.S. and Canada into Mexico. |
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Foraging, climbing
And digging.
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When not sleeping, bears spend most of their time foraging for food. They are also good tree climbers. |
In harsher climates, black bear will den up in hollow snags and burrows for winter. |
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Food preferences?
Pretty much everything
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Black bears are omnivorous. Depending on the season, they eat primarily plants, sometimes carrion or animals. |
They breed from May-July, with females giving birth to a litter of 1-4 hairless cubs, each weighing about half a pound. |