Worlds Oldest Black Bear Dies
World’s Oldest Black Bear Dies at age 39
The oldest black bear in the world known to man was found dead in August 2013 in Northern Minnesota. The female black bear was 39 years old and had a radio collar on her since she was seven. The bear was found in a secluded, wooded forest in Minnesota and all indications pointed to a death due to natural causes.
Oldest Bear in the World
Bear No. 56, as she was known to researchers from the DNR was captured and collared back in 1981 when she was seven years old. She is believed to be the world’s oldest black bear.
Few black bears have been known to live past the age of 30. This particular bear may not have been around as long, as she had visited bait sites that held hunters in recent years. Those hunters complied with the DNR’s request to not shoot collared bears and No. 56 continued to live on.
It’s always interesting to see how long animals can live when they are not killed due to hunting or disease and this is a valuable study for the Minnesota DNR.
