Did you know that Black Bears roam the Bluegrass?

 • The black bear is approximately 4 to 7 feet in length when fully grown.

• In Kentucky, adult females usually weigh between 120–170 pounds, while adult males average 250–350 pounds.

• Bears may live 15–25 years in the wild.

• Lean bears can run 30+ mph--uphill, downhill, or on level ground!

• During the summer, most bears become active a half-hour before sunrise, take a nap or two during the day, and bed down for the night an hour or two after sunset. However, some bears are active at night to possibly avoid people or other bears.

• Preferred foods are nuts, acorns, fruit, insects, succulent greens. Bears will eat meat and less succulent greens when preferred foods are scarce. 

• Kentucky’s black bears do not hibernate but spend their winter in a dormant state known as torpor.  Unlike hibernating bears, bears in torpor can be easily awakened, and they may become active on warm winter days.

     Check out more at the Kentucky Dept of Fish and Wildlife website or Bearwise.org.