Black Bear Morphometries 143 



for differences by sex because of obvious size dimorphism. Because of 

 small sample sizes and asymptotic growth, all animals >7 years 

 old were placed into one age category. Samples were pooled across 

 seasons, and all data were analyzed. When data collected after 15 

 September (n = 19) were deleted, mean body mass for males and 

 females decreased by a maximum of 2.1 and 6.0 kg for any year class. 

 Previous analyses showed an age-season (age catergorized as adults or 

 subadults) interaction (P = 0.06) in body mass for females and non- 

 significant seasonal variation (P = 0.11) for males (Hellgren and Vaughan 

 1989b), probably because of small samples in fall and, subsequently, 

 weak statistical power. We used Tukey's studentized range test to separate 

 means. Recapture data for individuals recaptured within the same year 

 were not included in any analyses. Recaptures in different years 

 (n = seven male, nine female) were treated as independent observations. 

 Simple linear regression was used to develop relationships among body 

 mass and body measurements. 



RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 



Ages ranged from 1 to 16 years for males (n = 71). All morphometric 

 variables measured varied (P < 0.001) by age except ear length (x± 

 SE) (119 ± 1 mm, n = 64) and tail length (73 ± 2 mm, n = 65) (Table 

 1). Based on means separation, we concluded that adult size was reached 

 for most body and canine measurements by 5 years of age. Body mass 

 continued to increase until 6 years of age, with a maximum mass of 

 198 kg for a 7-year-old individual captured in July. 



It is interesting to note the lack of morphometric differences 

 (P > 0.05) between 3- and 4-year-old male bears. The stress of competing 

 for access to reproducing females may reduce body growth in these 

 young males, as nutrients are partitioned away from growth and into 

 demands for mate-searching and male-male aggression (Garshelis and 

 Hellgren 1994). 



Females ranged in age from 1 to 9 years (n = 37). Body measure- 

 ments that did not vary by age (n = 34) were ear length (112 ± 1 mm), 

 tail length (74 ± 3 mm), forepaw width (83 ± 1 mm), forepaw length 

 (85 ± 1 mm), hindpaw length (79 ± 1 mm), and hindpaw length (147 

 ± 1 mm). Female adult size was reached at an earlier age than male 

 adult size (Table 2). Adult size in body measurements was generally 

 reached by 3 or 4 years, whereas adult canine size was reached by 2 

 years of age. In New York, female bears attained adult size for all 

 measured characteristics by 2.5 years (Sauer 1975). 



Morphometric data are limited for other southeastern wetland 

 bear populations. Adult (>3 years) males and females weighed an 



