Commenters discuss bear diet and omnivory
4 Sep 15 8:57 PM · 8d ago · 28 comments · 1 source · development 4 of 4
The thread evolved into a discussion of bear biology, with users debating whether black bears are obligate or opportunistic carnivores, noting they eat salmon, grubs, honey, and vegetation. Some commenters acknowledged bears' omnivorous nature while others clarified regional differences in bear diet.
“They're omnivores. Horses are opportunistic predators though. (Yes, really.)”
name-is-the-byline.bsky.socialmenestune.bsky.social Seattle-area homeowner and trail camera operatordarthkater.bsky.social Bluesky commenter
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What people said 24 voices · best of 46 · verbatim
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M
Yes, but almost totally herbivores except for bugs and the occasional fish - although the bears around here aren't around many fish.
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Some commenters pointed out that black bears will once in a while eat meat or fish. And while that is true, that's why I wrote "almost exclusively" plants. Around us, there aren't many places to eat fish and we've never seen one eat an animal in thousands of videos. They will raid garbage cans.
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the well-lived life: sploot. eat some greens. biiiiiiigg stretch. sploot. 💓 (and if not exhausted from all that splooting, eating, and stretching, go for a swim then steal the pool)
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This is always what I marvel at about the herbivores. How do they get enough calories???
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Just goes to show how much more complex bear behavior is than people assume.
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Is that not a bear sploot? Wow. What footage you capture!
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you've created a little paradise for them 🥰
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Not a lot of salmon around for the bears in our area - greens and berries are almost all they eat.
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Yes, grizzly and black bears have wildly different personalities and aggression levels.
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TIL black bears are opportunitistic carnivores, not obligate. black bears are cool!
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Don't wanna get too gross - but they're big piles of lumps with lots of seeds!
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Yes, I've seen a lot of humpbacks and same!!!! 5 tons of krill each day.
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I wish I could groom, bathe, brush that amazing creature.
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They are the most adorable visitors we've ever had
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Please don't spread such absurd disinfo - in fact you could get someone like a hiker killed or seriously injured w such nonsense. Black bears are omnivores & most certainly do eat meat. The smell of meat cooking over a fire can lure them into someone's camp.
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They're omnivores. Horses are opportunistic predators though. (Yes, really.) As far as I can tell, only felids are obligate carnivores, because their only source for some amino acids are other animals. (Other animals make those particular essential amino acids on their own.)
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In fact I recall some yrs ago a woman was killed by a Black bear while out on a run. That's it. She was running for exercise. This was up in Canada not the US but doesn't matter. All bears are large predators who deserve respect & to keep a safe distance.
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M
Some of the world's most powerful mammals (elephant, ox, etc.) eat only plants. All that nonsense about "meat is manly" is just MAGA Joe Rogan/RFK Jr. bull shit.
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Ah...but they are carnivirous as well...! Ripping into rotting logs for grubs, bees nests for honey, etc... and certainlycSalmon and other fish!!
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And yet, no one ever asks what ever happened to Goldilocks later on. Sometimes the porridge is too hot and one needs a change.
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They seem so comfortable at your place, I'm surprised you don't invite them in your dining room for dinner! 🤣🤣🤣
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It's wild how damn cute they are while knowing they would tear you apart while looking just as cute.
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Thank you. Now I have a comeback for folk who suggest I should diet . . .
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I love that she (?) feels safe enough to sploot and roll around.
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