Bears,Bears, Bears
Photo Creds: Sheila Hoskins Callahan What's one of the best things about living in the Smokies? Why the Black Bears of course! Photo Creds: Craig Johnston The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to about 1,500 Black Bears. It is one of the largest, protected habitats for black bears in the world. During the summer a typical male bear will weigh 250 pounds and female around 100 pounds. However, in the fall their weight increases dramatically as they prepare for winter. Bears over 600 pounds have been reported. A typical bear lives for around 15 years, but sadly those that have become accustomed to people food may only live half that time. Bears are like people. They like both plants and animals. The majority of their diet comes from plants, but they do enjoy some tasty insects! Did you know that bears can swim? They are excellent swimmers, tree climbers, and runners. Also, their sense of smell is great and they see in color. The bears are the most active in
