Daily Postcard: An American black bear with a light colored coat walks under a log, bumping its head at Bandelier National Monument, as captured Wednesday on a wildlife camera (link). The American black bear is the smallest bear on the North American continent. Due to sexual dimorphism, adult males are much bigger than their female counterparts with an average weight of about 300 lbs. However, their weight fluctuates throughout the year. During the winter, bears will lose about 15-30% of their body weight. Right now, local bears have put on as much weight as they can to prepare for the winter and are beginning to enter their dens. This excess fat energy will sustain them through the cold season until food is more readily available in the spring. Source: BNM. Post/screenshot