Habitat: The black bear is native to North America; it is found throughout North America, even in Canada and eight states in northern Mexico. The black bear is only found in 41 of the 50 US states. Black bears need thickly wooded areas because they are shy and like to be alone. They can live in other places such as mountains, swamps, abandoned fields (State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 2014). When black bears live near a city, they weigh more due to the availability of high-calorie foods. (Florida State University, 2014) Male black bears range many miles, sometimes living in an area of ​​up to 60 square miles. Females don't move around as much and live in areas of about 15 square miles. Male bears do not live in the same areas as other males, but many female bears may live in the same areas. Females are more likely to defend their territory than males when an intruder must enter. These animals determine their territory “by urinating, defecating and scratching, rubbing and biting trees”. (State University of New York College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry, 2014) Most people think that bears live in caves, but bears live in different places and make their dens from different things. Dens can be found in "open nests, brush piles, fallen trees, rock piles, excavations, hollow trees, and human structures." (Ternant, 2006)Understanding black bear ecologyReproduction and survival:Bears begin to reach sexual maturity at different times. “Females generally become sexually mature between two and five years of age. Males become sexually mature between four and six years of age. « (Callas, 2002) The mating season is between June and July, with the...... middle of paper...... The bears are not there. At one time, the black bear population had plummeted, but it has rebounded in recent decades. The main reason why bears are endangered is the frequent destruction of their habitat. Excessive and out-of-season hunting also causes other bear populations to decline. Other reasons include “global warming, pollution, oil development and human conflict.” (Ocean Foundation, 2007-2014)ConclusionBlack bears are very interesting creatures. They have a long history in Pennsylvania. Although they have always been there, their population has declined but increased, so bears are once again common in the state. Many people can say they have seen a bear, even though years ago they were rare. Bears are a vital part of our environment and without them our state wouldn't be nearly as interesting..