North American Black Bear

Description:

This black bear was hanging out in my friend's backyard in Whistler for a good hour, digging around eating roots and laying in the sunshine. I was taking photos though the bathroom window and he became quite interested in me, so much so that I was very glad there was a wall separating us by the end of the encounter! (As you can see in the last photo, he had no problem coming right up to the window to get a closer look)

Habitat:

The black bear is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. They are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in search of food. Sometimes they become attracted to human communities because of the immediate availability of food, something I think is quite common in Whistler.