What is the home range of a black bear? Do black bears defend their home range against other bears?
“Home range” has traditionally (and broadly) been defined as that area used by an individual animal during its normal activities of food gathering, mating, and caring for the young. Home ranges may change during the life of the animal or by season, and may be used in different ways for different behaviors. “Territory” is that part of the home range that is defended against intruders or competitors. “Defense” may include warning behavior through scent, vocalizations, or marks, as well as physical confrontation. Female black bears (but not males) in boreal habitats in Alberta, Minnesota, and Washington showed little or no home range overlap, which suggests territoriality. Occasional aggressive behavior towards unrelated females may also occur. However, in more temperate areas with diverse resources, including Arkansas, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Tennessee, adult females display considerable overlap in home range but mutually avoid each other. Black bears use an area based primari
