- Jul 19, 2021
- 3 min read

Introducing DPFF's "KIDS CORNER" Series!

Updated: Aug 17, 2021

We are excited to introduce our new “Kids Corner” blog series, a once-a-month blog post geared entirely towards kids!

Building curiosity, compassion, and connection to animals among children is one of our primary goals at the DePonte Family Foundation. Kids Corner is the first of many initiatives we are dreaming up to do just that.

Kids Corner will be a mix of awesome and inspiring, fun and entertaining, educational and brain-developing: animal facts; riddles and jokes; worksheets and activities; and so much more!

Let’s get started!

What’s Your State Animal?

Each of the 50 states has at least three state animals that represent it: a state mammal, a state bird, and a state reptile.

Today, we’re going to talk about our state mammal.

In New Mexico, the state mammal is the American black bear! But we’re not alone -- the black bear is the state mammal of Alabama, Louisiana, and West Virginia too.

American Black Bear - Photo from Defenders of Wildlife

Do you live in a different state? Find your state mammal (or mammals) here!

Let’s Learn About Black Bears!

Did you know…?

Black bears don’t have to be black. Sometimes they are cinnamon, beige, white, or even blue!
Black bears can weigh up to 500 pounds! (How heavy is 500 pounds? It’s about as heavy as a big, metal dumpster, or what it would feel like to lift five toilets at once. A whale’s heart weighs almost 500 pounds!)
Black bears are omnivores. This means they’ll eat almost anything: plants, nuts, seeds, or smaller animals and fish. But a black bear’s favorite foods are nuts, berries, and grass. They only eat meat if they can’t find their favorite plant foods!
Black bears can run up to 30 miles per hour. This is about how fast you can drive in a car when you’re driving through most cities or towns. Ask your mom or dad to tell you when you’re driving at this speed, and then imagine a black bear running next to you!
Black bears can climb trees. Mama black bears teach their babies to climb trees when they are just cubs. (A cub is a baby bear.) This helps to keep them safe from other animals. They can find some of their favorite foods in trees too!
Black bears like to swim too. Because of their strong back legs, black bears can swim across rivers and lakes. They even seem to enjoy it!
Black bears can hibernate for as long as 7 months. Hibernation is when a bear goes to sleep for a very long time. Bears hibernate during cold months, when not a lot of food is available for them. (If a bear lives in a climate that’s warm all year round, it doesn’t need to hibernate at all.) Before the bears settle down for a long sleep, they eat..a lot! Then, they find a spot -- inside of tree trunks or caves, under logs or rocks, or dens they dig in the ground -- and settle in for a very long nap.
Black bears usually live alone. A baby black bear stays with its mother until it’s two years old. After that, it’s on its own. Black bears don’t live or play with other bears until it’s time to find a mate. Then a male and female bear will spend just a few days together before parting ways.
Black bears are shy animals. Not only do they live alone for most of their lives, but if a black bear comes across people or other animals in the forest, it will likely run away. Black bears have incredible hearing and smelling abilities. This means they will usually notice you before you could ever notice them. Once they smell, hear, or see you, they run and hide.