I Am So Handsome
by Robert Bales
Title
I Am So Handsome
Artist
Robert Bales
Medium
Photograph - Photo
Description
The black bear (Ursus americanus) is the most common and widely distributed bear species in North America. However, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is one of the few areas south of Canada where black bears coexist with the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos). From 1910 to the 1960s, park managers allowed visitors to feed black bears along park roads, although the National Park Service officially frowned on this activity. During this time, along with Old Faithful, black bears became the symbol of Yellowstone for many people, and are still what some people think of when Yellowstone bears are mentioned. Since 1960, park staff have sought to deter bears from becoming conditioned to human foods.
Baby black bears are born and live in the safety of the mother's den during winter. The average cub litter size is 1 to 3. Babies are born blind. A black bear baby weighs between one half to one pound at birth.
They put on weight quickly. The mother spends the following year and a half weaning, feeding, and teaching her cubs what to eat and how to survive. At that point they venture on to live on their own.
The sad fact is that many baby cubs will not reach adulthood due to hunting and attacks from predators. The mother will usually mate every 2 years but frequency depends on food resources, age, environment, and habitat density.
Uploaded
June 17th, 2015
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Viewed 2,182 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 03/26/2024 at 7:10 AM
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Comments (40)
Kay Brewer
Yes, he IS handsome! Congratulations on your lovely art reaching over 500 views, Robert! l/f
Morris Finkelstein
Beautiful capture of a Black Bear in native habitat, nicely composed! F/L
Robert Bales replied:
Thanks Morris for the wonderful comment on the bear and the FL!! We just happen to be driving by the right time.
Phyllis Kaltenbach
Oh, he is very handsome! How on earth did you ever find him in all of that tall grass? Wonderful capture, Robert! V/F
Robert Bales replied:
Thanks so much for the wonderful comments and I sure glad you enjoyed it. There were three of them with one mother and this one was looking for the mother. I had my 100-400mm on it all the time waiting for it to do something.
Suzanne Silvir
Glorious capture of this beautiful animal- the lighting and details on the fur is fantastic!