Breeding behavior of the American black bear Ursus americanus.
By means of videotape, we observed and timed courtship, mating, and refractoriness in the American black bear while confined in a semicaptive environment. Sixty-six courtships resulted in mating. During courtship, the male detected estrus and receptivity in the female. Courtship lasted 22.5+/-2.3s (mean+/-S.E.M.). We videotaped and reviewed 61 matings that included mounts, pelvic thrusts, and flutters. Mating lasted 51.6+/-4.2s. Within these 61 matings, there were 24 pelvic thrusts and 14 flutters observed. Pelvic thrusts averaged 2.3+/-0.3 times, while flutters averaged 11.1+/-2.9 times. Of the 61 courtship-mating segments, 28 segments depicted a male refractory period, while 27 segments depicted a female refractory period. The male refractory period lasted 44.9+/-6.1s during which the male sat and licked his genital region. The female walked, ran away, or turned and attacked the male during her 54.2+/-8.3s refractory period. This is the first time a large number of paired ursid matings has been described and timed.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Greenville Hospital System, 890 W. Faris Road, Suite 470, SC 29605, USA. bboone@ghs.org
William R
WR
Boone
M Elaine
ME
Richardson
Jennifer A
JA
Greer
D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D003307:Copulation; D004971:Estrus; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D013997:Time Factors; D001503:Ursidae / Q000502:physiology*