The American black bear and the cougar or mountain lion are carnivores, yet each excels in its particular niche.
While the American black bear is known as a quiet silent hunter, cougars are crafty and hostile by nature.
The mountainous areas of North America were home to both of these species.
What would the result be if these two creatures were to collide with one another?
This is an age-old question that may be traced back thousands of years.
Simply put its a battle of speed, agility, and stealth against bulk and physical strength.
Size And Description
Cougars have subtle differences in appearance between geographical regions. They can be light brown, tawny, or even black in certain instances. They have patches on the side of their nose, and their underparts that are paler in color than the fur on the tip of their tail.
They have sharp eyesight and hearing as well.
Cougars have round ears that stand erect and move in response to noises.
The fur of a black bear is typically a single, consistent hue, except for the brown muzzle and the occasional white patches on adult males’ chests.
The color of eastern populations is typically black, although western populations frequently display brown, cinnamon, and blond colors in addition to black coloring.
Kermode glacier bears are a subspecies of black bears that are distinguished by their white-bluish fur. These distinct color ranges can only be seen in coastal British Columbia in Canada.
Cougars are giant felines that can be located in North America. They are mostly found in locations that are mountainous, arid, and wooded. A male cougar is a formidable and aggressive adversary.
An adult cougar may weigh more than 100 kilograms and span more than 3 meters from his snout to his tail.
It’s not very heigh at the shoulder compared to other big cats, measuring around 2.6 feet tall.
On the other hand, black bears are a sign of power and strength, even though they are not the most dominant predator in their area.
These animals may also fall victim to their much larger relatives, such as brown bears and grizzlies, who may hunt them for food.
However, they are not that much weaker. An adult male black bear can weigh up to 750 kg.
If a brown bear stands on its hind limbs, it can reach a height of 6.7 feet, yet on average it’s only 3.4 feet tall.
Diet And Nutrition
Both large species like deer and smaller mammals such as mice, squirrels, porcupines, raccoons, rabbits, and beavers are on the menu for mountain lions.
The American black bear consumes a wide variety of foods, including fish, salmon, small animals, honey, nuts, fruits, plants, nuts, and carrion.
In the northern areas, the spawning fish are consumed.
There have been documented cases of black bears taking the lives of newborn moose and deer calves.
Range And Environment
The western region of the United States is home to an estimated thirty thousand mountain lions.
The Florina Panther is a subspecies of a mountain lion that is severely endangered since its population is estimated to be less than 100 individuals.
At least 600,000 black bears live in North America, according to some estimates.
There are probably more than 300,000 bears living in the United States at this time.
On the other hand, the Louisiana Black Bear and the Florida Black Bear are also distinct subspecies with relatively tiny populations.
The number of black bears living in Florida is around 3,000, whereas the Louisiana black bear is on the federal list of endangered species.
The population of the mountain lion is more significant than any other animal found in the Western Hemisphere, excluding humans.
They are discovered from Canada to Argentina. In the continent of North America, you may find them from British Columbia and southern Alberta to California and Texas.
There are just a few scattered populations East of the Mississippi River.
The Florida panther lives in isolated groups in small pockets of the state of Florida.
At least forty states in the United States are home to the American black bear, which may be found all over the continent of North America, from Canada to Mexico.
Throughout Canada, black bears may still be found in most of their historic habitat, except for the heavily cultivated regions in the central plains.
It was once believed that black bears lived in the mountainous areas of Mexico’s northern states; however, these bears are currently only found in a few small residual groups.
Behavior
Mountain Lions another name for cougars are solitary creatures.
They have a strong sense of territoriality and will avoid other cats at all costs, except when mating.
Cougars are very energetic hunters who sometimes cover great distances in their pursuit of food.
They hunt alone and sneak up on their prey from behind, biting them at the base of the skull to snap their victim’s neck and kill it.
They will bury their victim once they have finished killing it and then return to it when hungry to consume it.
Although black bears are incredibly versatile and can thrive in a wide variety of habitats, they are most commonly found in heavily wooded regions with dense undergrowth and an abundance of fruits, nuts, and plants.
It is possible to find them on the tundra in the northern regions, and they have also been observed foraging in farms and meadows.
Black bears, except mother bears and their young pups, are primarily solitary animals.
The bears will forage alone most of the time, but they will tolerate one another and hunt together if there is an excess of food in one location.
Strength
Because cougars do not belong to the Panthera genus, their mouth openings are smaller, and their jaws are weaker than other cats. This is because cougars are more closely related to cheetahs, lynxes, and house cats.
In other words, they have a bite force of 150 kg per square inch, yet their paws and limbs are far more potent than their jaws.
The Blackbear, on the other hand, is an entirely different scenario because it possesses powerful muscles, bigger jaws, and a biting force that is 589 kg strong. In terms of surface area, their paws are even broader than those of the cougar.
Agility
It is common knowledge that cougars will pursue fast prey such as rabbits and reindeer more swiftly than bears.
Because of their excellent speed, they can catch and kill them in just two to three minutes.
They have a speed of 70 kilometers per hour, but like most felines, they do not have very excellent stamina.
A cougar can perform explosive attacks, but eventually, it will become fatigued fast.
If the Bear is the exact opposite, it can only move at a pace of 45 kilometers per hour, but it can keep fighting for roughly an hour.
There is no question about the bear’s capacity for endurance.
Weapons
The canines of a cougar are 2 inches longer, and it has 30 teeth in its jaws. In addition, the length of their claws is a full two inches.
Their paw swipe is far faster than that of bears. It is somewhere around 9 feet per second.
Black bears also have the same weapons and strategies, although their speed is slower than that of cougars.
They have 42 teeth in their jaws, with canines that are 2.5 inches, and claws that are 4 inches long.
Aggression
When it comes to their food or territory, cougars are notorious for being risk-takers and are thought to be more aggressive than any other cat species.
In the wild, they frequently battle with bears, although these encounters are never recorded or witnessed.
Indeed, black bears will not engage in combat with other animals if it is not necessary; nevertheless, this does not indicate that black bears are cowards.
These animals hunt and are the ultimate opportunists; in the Everglades, for example, they have been known to bring down gigantic alligators and pythons, which are even larger than cougars.
Now, the vast majority of animals that live in the wild will want to avoid any combat in which they run the risk of suffering catastrophic lifelong injuries.
Bears and mountain lions will not engage in combat very often, although an adult bear may view a mountain lion as a proper meal if it is hungry enough.
The black bear does have a thick hide, and if it puts its mind to it, it can easily dominate an adult mountain lion.
However, in most cases, they will not take the danger if less risky prey is available.
It is well known that mountain lions search for bear cubs because these young bears provide a perfect, snack-sized meal.
If there is no mother bear in the neighborhood to defend her cubs, even somewhat older cubs can make for a delicious dinner.
However, a mother bear will be very aggressive when it comes to the protection of her cubs!
I believe that the puma has a high probability of killing a bear because black bears are not the primary predators in their natural environment.
However, if the puma comes across a bear that is caring for its cubs, there is a good possibility that it can become its victim.