Communication
Vocalizations and Body Language
Black bears use sounds, body language, and scent-marking to express their emotions of the moment. The main thing that helped me get over my fear of bears was learning their…
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Sociable Sounds
In the wild, bears make a plaintive sound when they want to make friendly contact, take food from a bear they know, or nurse. Mothers grunt when they approach their…
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Harmless Bluster
Bear Center researchers see bluster when bears are nervous and crowded but reluctant to leave because of cubs, food, or being cornered. The researchers usually give these bears space, out…
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The Black Bears’ Voice
Black bears not only communicate with grunts, tongue-clicks, and blowing. They have a resonant voice. It is not the barking, growling voice of a dog and is seldom the shrill…
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How Dangerous Are Bluff Charges?
Stories of bears rushing at people are rare but do happen. These are bears that make the news. They are the unusually aggressive bears that create stories of narrow escapes. …
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Scared Cubs and Crying Babies Sound Alike
Black bear cubs and human babies can sound enough alike to confuse both species. On August 7, 1990, a scared cub sounded so much like a person yelling “Help” that…
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Do Black Bears Growl?
Bear Center researchers are still waiting to find out. In over 40 years of capturing, observing, and confronting bears—and seeing the occasional fight—they have yet to hear their first growl….
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