This is a frequently asked question here at the park, and one we love to answer! We have a Black Bear population that is not only healthy but is highly adaptable! Normally living in ecosystems with abundant food sources in Spring, Summer and Fall, our Black Bears have adapted to the scarcities of the Southern Boreal Forest: a long winter and a short growing season, and few burrowing den sites. The Southern Boreal Forest has less supply of plant-based food diet available for Black Bears due to the long winters and short growing season. Faced with food shortage, our Black Bears have learned to add more food to their diet by feeding on plants growing in post wildfire, insect outbreak and clearcut areas, which feature fruiting plants, insects and grubs for their foraging pleasure. This helps them gain the weight they will need to sustain them through the winter here at Voyageurs National Park. Our Black Bears have also learned to make their dens differently. The soils at Voyageurs National Park are very shallow, averaging 12 inches deep, with rock underneath. Along with not being able to dig a hole, tree trunks are not large enough to host a denning bear either. So, our Black Bears have learned to make their dens under piles of rocks or under tree trunks that are stacked up in clear cut areas. This allows the Black Bear shelter as heavy winter comes on. We have a healthy Black Bear population here at Voyageurs National Park! Please remember to keep your distance from bears here if you see them. Don't forget to use our Bear Proof camping boxes, or garbage and recycling containers at the park. Please help us keep our bears wild by removing your trash and any leftover food. Black Bears are a key species to keeping our Forests healthy. We hope you will join us in preserving their habitat and protecting our wildlife! Want to know more about Black Bears and their habits here in the Northern Minnesota? Here are some links to explore: Black bear adaptation to low productivity in the boreal forest: Écoscience: Vol 15, No 4 (tandfonline.com)Mosnier et al. 2008_ Black bear_boreal forest.pdf (uwlax.edu)Southern Boreal Forest | Forest Ecology Lab (umn.edu) |
Last updated: September 29, 2023