Black bears are the most widely distributed of British Columbia’s large mammals. Virtually the entire province, including the outer coast and islands, is occupied black bear habitat. Humans have settled 8% of the province (primarily in the Lower Mainland, southeastern Vancouver Island and the Okanagan), but even parts of the densely settled areas still support black bears. Only about 5% of the total area of the province has been permanently lost as black bear habitat. These include core urban and industrial areas, major highways and large hydro reservoirs. Transportation, residential and industrial developments affect black bears through habitat fragmentation and loss. Access brings more people into contact with black bears and often displaces bears from foraging areas. Clearcutting of old growth forests may provide short-term benefits by providing increased berry or vegetation production. This may have prompted a population boom of black bears after the logging in the early 1970s on northern Vancouver Island. Once second-growth forests were established with their dense canopies, however, they did not provide the same amount or quality of bear foods as the older forests. In second-growth forests on Vancouver Island, Davis and Harestad (1996) found a high rate of cannibalism of female black bears attempting to protect their cubs by males. They attribute these killings to three main factors: the increasing interactions of males with females and cubs in the smaller number of feeding areas the increased vulnerability of females and cubs that den earlier than males the loss of large hollow trees, root boles and logs for safe denning.

Black bears are found in virtually every part of BC To find out how habitat suitability is determined, click here.