How many American black bears are there?
It is important to remember that determining the number of American black bears present in any given region is a difficult task. Bears are not easy to find, due to their shy and reclusive nature. Additionally, they may travel great distances in a single summer in search of food. Often, this transient behavior moves them across political boundaries, making it hard for agencies to get an accurate estimate of the population. At the time European settlers arrived, it is believed that there were about 500,000 American black bears roaming the continent. Today the number is actually higher, despite the fact that they have lost a considerable amount of their historic range.
