Black Bear Management Plan

Dana Frech and Danielle Zeigler

Introduction: The animal we are researching is the Black Bear. Our goal is to make a management plan. This plan will help the Black Bear thrive, and keep them from human contact. The Black bear is important economically because of their furs. Biologically they are part of the ecosystem and keep things balanced.

Literature Review Of Species Life History: The Black Bear can live about 25 years. They are omnivorous. Most of their diet is soft and hard mast, insects, animal matter, and plants. Their habitat must include many tree and shrub species. Also, dense thickets, swamps, bays, and little contact with humans. Black Bears are found in most of Canada, south to the west coast through northern California, the Rocky Mountains to Mexico and the east coast. Females need 6-19 square miles of space and males need 18-160 square miles.

Literature Review Of Management Techniques : Some things to improve the Black bears habitat are providing large expanses of mature forest and protecting streamside areas. Avoid extensive clearcutting and limit harvesting to a small amount. Saving swamp areas is also a good way to save this animal. These are just a few ideas.

Description Of the Management Area: This area we have planned for the bear has a mix of different trees and shrubs. It also has ponds which bears also like. Some plants they eat are: dogwood, blackgum, sassafras, black cherry, holly, black, blue, and pokeberry. These are all in this area.

Steps Of the Management Plan: Some things we could do to help improve this environment is to plant more trees and shrubs. This gives them more food and cover. Leaving the land around this area undeveloped will help because humans will not be around.

Summary and Conclusion: This plan will give the bear what is needs to survive: food, water, and shelter. This will hopefully make the number of bears grow in that area.

Literature Cited:

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/bbcp/

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/nreos/forest/steward/www10.html

http://www.bearcountryusa.com/animals/bear.htm

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