June 19, 2006
Monday

Ketchikan, Alaska - While eating vegetation, this black bear was photographed during a trip to Hidden Inlet which is approximately 50 air miles southeast of Ketchikan inside the Misty Fjords National Monument on the Portland Canal.

According to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game's Wildlife Notebook Series, "Black bears are creatures of opportunity when it comes to food. There are, however, certain patterns of food-seeking which they follow. Upon emergence in the spring, freshly sprouted green vegetation is their main food item, but they will eat nearly anything they encounter. Winter-killed animals are readily eaten, and in some areas black bears have been found to be effective predators on newborn moose calves. As summer progresses, feeding shifts to salmon if they are available. In areas without salmon, bears rely primarily on vegetation throughout the year. Berries, especially blueberries, are an important late summer-fall food item. Ants, grubs, and other insects help to round out the black bear's diet. Male bears may occasionly prey on their own young."

On the Web:

Alaska Department of Fish & Game Wildlife Notebook Series
http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/notehome.php

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Ketchikan, Alaska