We list here what we think are the most 'iconic' wildlife you can see in Canada, Alaska and the Arctic. We detail some interesting facts & figures about each type, plus of course, the best places and times to see them.
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Canada, Alaska & The Arctic
Black bear in Jasper National Park
The American Black Bear is the most common bear species in North America, living throughout the continent and in all Canadian provinces and territories apart from Prince Edward Island.
These bears can be up to seven feet tall and males weigh between 115 and 365 kg (250 and 800 pounds) The adults have small eyes, rounded ears, a long snout, a large body, and a short tail and they have an excellent sense of smell. Though they generally have shaggy black hair, the coat can vary in colour from white through to chocolate-brown, cinnamon, and blonde. Each paw has five long, strong claws used for tearing, digging, and climbing. Though less powerful than a grizzly bear, black bears are still enormously strong and they can run at speeds up to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) and are good swimmers. The ears of a black bear are larger and more erect than those of the grizzly bear, and it lacks a prominent shoulder hump.
Black bears are found in a wide variety of habitats and during winter they hibernate in hollowed-out dens in tree cavities, under logs or rocks, in banks, caves, or culverts. After emerging from their winter dens in spring, they seek whatever food they can including animals that have not survived the winter and new shoots of many plant species. In mountainous areas, they forage on the southerly slopes at lower elevations and move to northerly and easterly slopes at higher elevations as summer progresses. Black bears use dense cover for hiding and thermal protection, as well as for bedding. They climb trees to escape danger and use forested areas and rivers as travel corridors.
Mating is generally during summer, from mid-June to mid-August and the cubs are generally born in January or February. They are very small, about 10-14 ounces, and are blind, nearly hairless, and helpless when born. The cubs become independent during their second summer.
Black bears are omnivores whose diet includes plants, nuts and berries, bees, wasps, rodents, salmon, deer fawns and moose calves. They are apex predators in North America, with the exception of areas where they coexist with the grizzly bear.
Black bears can be seen relatively easily during summer months whilst driving or travelling by train through the less populated regions of North America. National and Provincial parks in particular are perfect places for having a chance encounter with these bears, especially Banff and Jasper national parks, Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario and the Mastigouche Wildlife Reserve in Québec. Northern Vancouver Island, interior British Columbia and Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba are also excellent places to see them.
We can recommend a variety of accommodation according to your taste, style and budget. As the black bear population is larger and more widespread than that of the grizzly, a wider range of accommodation options are available. Please speak with our country specialists to discuss your requirements.