Canadian Rockies Wildlife

Trio of Colors in one Canadian Bear Family

Here is a Trio of colors in one Black Bear family. Black bears come in more colors than any other North American mammal. They can be black, brown, cinnamon, blond, blue-gray, or white. The melanin in black fur makes the Bear's fur more resistant to abrasion, while light colored fur reduces heat stress in open sunlight and allows the bears to feed longer in open, food-rich habitats. Black fur dominates in areas that are mostly under forest cover, while brown, cinnamon, or blond is seen more in bears that inhabit open forest meadows. Lighter colored fur may camouflage Bears and Cubs from predators in open areas better.