What Do Black Bear Paw Prints Look Like?

The back paws of a black bear look very similar to a human footprint.  There are five toes and a large, triangular-shaped pad.  There may be claws showing in the footprint as well.  What the front paw prints of a black bear look like is almost the same, except the pad is less than half the size of the back paws’ pad.       

The paw print of a black bear is unique:

• The black bear has five toes on each foot. 
• When you look at black bears’ paw prints, what you will notice is the big toe is on the outside. In that way, it is not similar to a human’s footprint. 
• Having the big toe on the outside is one of the reasons the black bear has a shuffle in his gait and the tracks will turn inward slightly.

• Both front and rear paw prints are between 3.25 and 5.5 inches in width and are between 5 and 6.5 in length. 
• The back paw prints are the same width as the front but are longer, between 6 and 7.75 inches. 

Bears walk flat-footed and will use the same trails over and over.  They even put their feet in the same place every time they use the trails.  If you come across one of these trails, the depressions will be deep and well formed as they have been used for years.  

Other Facts About the Black Bear

• Ursus americanus is the scientific name of the American Black Bear.   

• They are omnivorous mammals that can be six feet tall, or 1.8 meters, and can weigh up to 600 pounds, or 270 kilograms. 
• Their average lifespan in the wild is 20 years. 
• Even though they are called black bears, they can also be bluish black, bluish gray, cinnamon, brown, or even almost white. 
• As compared to brown bears, they are smaller, have shorter claws, and do not have a shoulder hump.
• The American Black Bear is solitary and will wander over large areas. 
• They are normally nocturnal, but are active sometimes during the day. 
• They can climb trees and swim well, and can run as fast as 30 miles an hour for a short time.     

Types of Black Bear

Black bears are the most common bears in North America.  Subspecies of the American Black Bear are:

• California black bear
• Cinnamon bear
• Dall black bear
• Eastern black bear
• Florida black bear
• Glacier bear
• Haida Gwaii black bear
• Kenai black bear
• Kermode bear
• Louisiana black bear
• Mexican black bear
• Newfoundland black bear
• New Mexico black bear
• Olympic black bear
• Queen Charlotte black bear
• Vancouver Island black bear
• Spirit bear
• West Mexico black bear

Diet of the Black Bear

If you are afraid they are rummaging through your camp ground looking for food, here are a few facts on what black bears eat:

• The diet of the American Black Bear is varied. 
• They will eat fish, mammals, eggs, bugs, grass, roots, or berries. 
• They will also eat dead animals and forage through garbage cans. 
• They can be found eating wasp’s nests or stripping off the bark of trees. 
• While black bears can normally be found in forested areas, they will leave to find food.  

Winter for a Black Bear

It may be especially easy to see black bear paw prints in the snow. So, what is winter like for a black bear?

• They are not true hibernators; but, they do have a dormant period in the winter.  During this period, their metabolism does not slow down as much and their body temperature is more stable that a true hibernator.  They can also be easily aroused, and some people refer to this as denning or winter lethargy.  They will sleep in caves, logs, or under trees that have fallen.  
• Baby bears are born in the winter, normally in January or February, and are blind at first.  They will nurse until spring, when all of them will go out and forage for food.  A mother bear will have one to three cubs, each one weighing one half pound.  They will stay with their mother until they are two years old.  

This is an unusual animal. A black bear paw print is distinct as are other facts and details about black bears.