Forest omnivore. Alaska, Canada, eastern half of US and in western mountains of US. Populations increasing with better management.

Diet is omniverous: plants, seeds, apples, honey, blueberries, roots, rodents, carrion, fish etc. Mostly scavangers and gleaners, but also predatory on deer fawns, and calves of elk and caribou (good at finding them). Will bury a carcass and return to it. Their diet makes them competitors of humans for some crops (apples and blueberries, honey), garbage etc. In west some have girdled fir trees to get at cambium. Become habituated to humans as a food source, lose their fear. Many problems in National Parks and Forests in campgrounds. Lot of relocation. Must relocate a long distance.

Biology: two (usually) cubs born IN THE DEN in February (small, squirrel sized, about 1 pound). Stay with mother until 1.5 to 2.5 years old, then disperse.

Females ready to reproduce at 3 or 4 years. Usually have twins every other year, or two litters in 3 years. Average age span is about 10 years, but no bear has ever been known to die of old age. Of all the radio collared bears in Maine, all have died from accident, automobiles, hunters, other bears etc. Weights vary between parts of country, time of year and food supply. Typical Maine female weighs about 150 pounds, male about 250. In other parts of country typically get 300-400 pounders.

"Hibernate" in winter (Late November or early December until March). Breed May -July, but implantation is DELAYED until denning, so young are born in den. Store up fat before denning (denning period may only be 6 weeks in south). Dens may be a hollow log or simply a thick clump of conifer growth, or under roots of a partially overturned tree.

Bears are solitary and territorial. Males have large territories covering several female territories. Females do not disperse as far as males, tend to stay in vicinity of mothers territory, so you get matriarchal related female clusters. Bears may travel long distances for seasonal food source, up to 50 miles to get to a favorite beech ridge or other nutritious food.

Roughly 22,000 black bear in Maine (more than any other state). Between 1500 and 2000 usually harvested, most over bait or with dogs. These practices are controversial, and have been outlawed by referendum in some states as unsporting. However, it is very difficult to achieve a 10% harvest of bear without using bait or dogs. Population would grow, increasing already numerous bear damage claims to crops etc. ("cultural" carrying capacity - population that humans can tolerate).

• Grizzly and Brown bears

Brown bear or Kodiak, found in Aleutian isalnds and coastal Alaska. Very large bear, relies heavily on fish.

Grizzly is more of an omnivore and scavanger. Food habits much like black bear, opportunistic. Common in Alaska and NW Canada, British Columbia. Limited populations in Montana and Yellowstone. Prey on Caribou and elk calves.

Biology and habits much like Black bear. Female matures in 4 years instead of 3, has 2 litters every 4 years instead of 3. Grizzly has much less tolerance for humans than Black bear, more aggresively territorial. Lots of bear attcks on people in Glacier NP. Too many people in bear country. Very few attacks in Alaska.

Grizzly may weigh 500 to 800 pounds, Kodiak 1500. Black bear overlap with Grizz in some areas. Compete. Grizz will kill Black bear, but Black bear can climb a tree (Grizz can't)

North American cats are solitary and territorial. Male territories are larger and overlap several female territories. Mark territories with scrapes and urine.

Cats are very efficiently designed as predators: claws, short face for powerful bite, large canines and shearing premolars. Cats very often attack prey from behind and kill with bite to base of skull. On much larger animals will bite throat and suffocate prey. Will bury large prey and return to it.

• LYNX

Lynx is the most restricted in range, Boreal forests of extreme Northern US, Rocky Mts., and Canada. Males weigh 30-50 pounds, females 15-30. Lynx has lighter pelage, noticably longer ear tufts, longer legs and larger feet than bobcat (adaptation to deep snow). Primary prey is the snowshoe hare, and Lynx/hare populations are cyclic (probably a predator/prey cycle).Listed as Threatened in USA.

Breed at one year, litters up to 4. Fur valuable.