FWS Focus

Overview

The Louisiana black bear is one of sixteen recognized subspecies of the American black bear U. americanus (Hall, 1981). The species was formerly widespread in North America, from northern Alaska, including Newfoundland, south to central northern Mexico (Lowrey, 1981). The Louisiana black bear historically occurred from eastern Texas, throughout Louisiana and southwest Mississippi (Hall 1981) and is distinguished from other black bears by possessing a skull that is longer, more narrow, and flat, and by possessing proportionately large molar teeth (Nowak, 1986). The Louisiana black bear is a large, bulky mammal with long, coarse black hair and a short, well-haired tail. The facial profile is blunt, the eyes small, and the nose pad broad with large nostrils. The muzzle is yellowish brown with a white patch sometimes present on the lower throat and chest. Black bears have five toes with short, curved claws on the front and hind feet. The median estimated weight for male and female Louisiana black bears in north Louisiana is 292 lb (133 kg) and 147 lb (67 kg), respectively (Weaver 1999). This is similar to that reported for black bears throughout their range by Pelton (2003).

Scientific Name

Ursus americanus luteolus
Common Name
Louisiana black bear
FWS Category
Mammals
Kingdom

Location in Taxonomic Tree

Identification Numbers

TSN:

Geography

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Timeline

Explore the information available for this taxon's timeline. You can select an event on the timeline to view more information, or cycle through the content available in the carousel below.

12 Items

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

Listing

4d

Critical Habitat

Five Year Review

Critical Habitat

Critical Habitat

Delisting

Delisting

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Listing

Dec 30, 1982

Dec 30, 1982 Listing
Review of Vertebrate Wildlife for Listing as End. or Thr. Species
  • Publication type: CNOR
Item 1

Listing

Aug 19, 1988

Aug 19, 1988 Listing (Warranted But Precluded)
Notice of Findings on Petitions to List Louisiana Black Bear, Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit, & Sherman…
  • Publication type: 12m petition finding
Item 2

Listing

Aug 10, 1989

Aug 10, 1989 Listing (Warranted But Precluded)
ETWP; Notice of Finding on Petition to List the Louisana Black Bear; 54 FR 32833 32835
  • Publication type: 12m petition finding
Item 3

Listing

Jun 21, 1990

Jun 21, 1990 Listing (Threatened)
ETWP; Proposed Threatened Status for the Louisiana Black Bear. Proposed Designation of Threatened by…
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 4

Listing

Jan 7, 1992

Jan 7, 1992 Listing (Threatened)
ETWP; Threatened Status for the Louisiana Black Bear and Related Rules
  • Publication type: Final
Item 5

4d

Jan 7, 1992

Jan 7, 1992 4d
ETWP; Threatened Status for the Louisiana Black Bear and Related Rules
  • Publication type: Final
Item 6

Critical Habitat

Dec 2, 1993

Dec 2, 1993 Critical Habitat
ETWP; Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Louisiana Black Bear
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 7

Five Year Review

Aug 2, 2007

Aug 2, 2007 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
5-Year Review of Nine Southeastern Species
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 8

Critical Habitat

May 6, 2008

May 6, 2008 Critical Habitat
Designation of Critical Habitat for the Louisiana Black Bear (Ursus americanus luteolus): Proposed r…
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 9

Critical Habitat

Mar 10, 2009

Mar 10, 2009 Critical Habitat
Designation of Critical Habitat for the Louisiana Black Bear (Ursus americanus luteolus); Final Rule…
  • Publication type: Final
Item 10

Delisting

May 21, 2015

May 21, 2015 Delisting
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of the Louisiana Black Bear From the Federal…
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 11

Delisting

Mar 11, 2016

Mar 11, 2016 Delisting
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of the Louisiana Black Bear From the Federal…
  • Publication type: Final
Item 12