Where do black bears live in Michigan?
Upper Peninsula
Approximately 15,000 – 19,000 black bears (including cubs) roam the hardwood and conifer forests of northern Michigan. About 90 percent of the bear live in the Upper Peninsula, while the remaining ten percent are mainly found in the northern Lower Peninsula.
What is black bear habitat?
Because of their versatile diet, black bears can live in a variety of habitat types. They inhabit both coniferous and deciduous forests, as well as open alpine habitats. They typically don’t occur on the Great Plains or other wide-open areas, except along river courses where there is riparian vegetation and trees.
What does a black bear’s habitat look like?
Black bears are most often found in areas with abundant cover and sources of food. They are usually found in rough terrain with lots of dense forest cover, including swampy areas. They require places to den during the winter, which can be in caves or under large boulders or tree roots.
How big is a black bear habitat?
Throughout Canada and the United States, home ranges of black bears extend from about 40 to 200 square km (15 to 77 square miles) for males but are considerably smaller for females.
Do black bears hibernate in Michigan?
Bears do not truly hibernate, but enter long periods of sleep. In Michigan, bears typically enter their den by December and come out in late March or April.
How many black bear are there in Michigan?
12,000 black bears
Michigan is home to approximately 12,000 black bears. About 10,000 live in the Upper Peninsula, while 2,000 are in the Lower Peninsula, according to the DNR.
Where do black bears hibernate?
dens
They sometimes forage in fields or meadows. During the winter they hibernate in dens that they have built. They will build their dens in tree cavities, under rocks or logs, in banks or caves, culverts and in shallow depressions.
What kind of habitat do bears live in?
Bears, a small group of mostly large omnivorous mammals, can be found all over the world; they live in forests, mountains, tundra, deserts and grassy areas.
Where do black bears sleep in the summer?
Most often they make a den under a rock, in a hollow tree, snuggled under a fallen tree, or in a brush pile. In the springtime, as snow melts and food sources become more available, bears wake up from their long hibernation. During the next few months, they rarely sleep at all.
What you should know about Michigan black bears?
Black bears are Michigan’s only bear species. These animals prefer large hardwood or pine forests, intermixed with wetlands, and they can be colored black, brown or cinnamon. Males live in areas that can be larger than 100 square miles , while females – which give birth to an average of two to three cubs every other winter – stay in smaller areas ranging from 10 to 20 square miles.
How many black bears live in Michigan?
How Many Black Bears Live In Michigan. According to the Michigan DNR , Approximately 15,000 to 19,000 black bears (including cubs) roam the hardwood and conifer forests of northern Michigan. About 90 percent of the bears live in the Upper Peninsula , while the remaining 10 percent are mainly found in the northern Lower Peninsula .
Are there Black Bears in Michigan?
Black Bear. Black bears are an important and exciting part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The black bear ( Ursus americanus ) is the only species of bear found in Michigan.
What kind of bears live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan?
The only species of bear found in Michigan is the black bear. Michigan’s forestland in the Upper Peninsula provides the ideal habitat for the species, with ample food and plenty of cover.