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Washoe Valley, NV
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Title
Bear Cub 4
Artist
Mitch Shindelbower
Medium
Photograph
Description
The American black bear (Ursus americanus, previously known as Euarctos americanus) is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most widely distributed bear species. American black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in search of food. Sometimes they become attracted to human communities because of the immediate availability of food. The American black bear is the world's most common bear species. The fur is usually, but not always, black and some subspecies do not show as black.
Despite living in North America, American black bears are not closely related to brown bears and polar bears; genetic studies reveal that they split from a common ancestor 5.05 million years ago (mya).[2] American and Asian black bears are considered sister taxa and are more closely related to each other than to the other modern species of bears.[2][3][page needed] According to recent studies, the sun bear is also a relatively recent split from this lineage.[4][page needed]
A small primitive bear called Ursus abstrusus is the oldest known North American fossil member of the genus Ursus, dated to 4.95 mya.[5] This suggests that U. abstrusus may be the direct ancestor of the American black bear, which evolved in North America.[2][6] Although Wolverton and Lyman still consider U. vitabilis an "apparent precursor to modern black bears",[7] it has also been placed within U. americanus.[6]
The ancestors of American black bears and Asian black bears diverged from sun bears 4.58 mya. The American black bear then split from the Asian black bear 4.08 mya.[2][8] The earliest American black bear fossils, which were located in Port Kennedy, Pennsylvania, greatly resemble the Asian species,[9] though later specimens grew to sizes comparable to grizzly bears.[10] From the Holocene to the present, American black bears seem to have shrunk in size,[2] but this has been disputed because of problems with dating these fossil specimens.[7]
The American black bear lived during the same period as the giant and lesser short-faced bears (Arctodus simus and A. pristinus, respectively) and the Florida spectacled bear (Tremarctos floridanus). These tremarctine bears evolved from bears that had emigrated from Asia to North America 7–8 ma.[11] The giant and lesser short-faced bears are thought to have been heavily carnivorous and the Florida spectacled bear more herbivorous,[12] while the American black bears remained arboreal omnivores, like their Asian ancestors. The American black bear's generalist behavior allowed it to exploit a wider variety of foods and has been given as a reason why, of these three genera, it alone survived climate and vegetative changes through the last Ice Age while the other, more specialized North American predators became extinct. However, both Arctodus and Tremarctos had survived several other, previous ice ages. After these prehistoric ursids became extinct during the last glacial period 10,000 years ago, American black bears were probably the only bear present in much of North America until the migration of brown bears to the rest of the continent.
Uploaded
September 18th, 2020
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Viewed 392 Times - Last Visitor from Fairfield, CT on 04/24/2024 at 7:23 AM
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Western, IL - United States
Congratulations! Your fantastic photographic art has been chosen as a Camera Art Group feature! You are invited to archive your work in the feature archive discussion. There are many other discussions in the group where you can promote your art even further more.
Naples, FL - United States
Congratulations, your work is Featured in "Photographic Camera Art" I invite you to place it in the group's "2020 Featured Image Archive" Discussion!! L/Tweet!
San Lorenzo, CA - United States
Awww, he's so gorgeous!!! And this is such a beautiful portrait of him, Mitch!!!! :)))vf
Cedar City, UT - United States
Beautiful portrait Mitch, Congratulations on your Showcase Artist of the Week Feature in WFS!!...L/T
Iola, WI - United States
A big congratulations to you for being chosen as our 'SHOWCASED ARTIST' of the week for the Wisconsin Flowers and Scenery group. Your art works are very indicative of a professional, and it is a true honor to "showcase" your art pieces for this week in this new venue we are providing for our members. Thanks for your awesome submissions, and it is an honor to have you as a member of our family of friends and fine artists within the WFS group. Special thanks and congratulations from your administrator, Randy "Elvis" Rosenberger
Titusville, FL - United States
Congratulations on your feature in the Fine Art America Group "Images That Excite You!"
Cambridge, ON - Canada
Fantastic capture of this adorable bear, Mitch! Magnificent sunlight and shadows! Brilliant composition! L/F
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