| Cinnamon bear | |
|---|---|
| |
| Captive cinnamon bear 'Kodiak' | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Ursidae |
| Genus: | Ursus |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | U. a. cinnamomum
|
| Trinomial name | |
| Ursus americanus cinnamomum Audubon and Bachman, 1854
| |
The cinnamon bear (Ursus americanus cinnamomum) is both a highly variable color morph and a subspecies of the American black bear, native to the United States and Canada.
As a subspecies, they therefore most likely exist alongside the mostly black-colored eastern American black bears present in those regions, and breed with them. Although there are also small populations located in the north east foothills and mountains of California, above 3,000 ft. elevation. The most striking difference between a cinnamon bear and any other black bear is its brown or red-brown fur, blocky head, and often a storage of fat causing a small hump on its back near the neck/shoulder, reminiscent of cinnamon.[2] The subspecies was given this designation because the lighter color phase is more common there than in other areas.[clarification needed] It is proposed that the brownish coats actually mimic a grizzly bear.[3]
- ^ "Ursus americanus". explorer.natureserve.org.
Washington: S5, Wisconsin: S5 Colorado: S5, New York: S5, Manitoba: S5, Alberta: S5, Ontario: S5, British Columbia: S5 New Mexico: S4, Nevada: S4, Idaho: S4, Idaho: S3, Utah: S3
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
BOWwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "When is a Black Bear Actually a Blue Bear?". 7 February 2017.