The facial profile is rather blunt, the eyes small, and the nose pad broad with large nostrils.

Physical Description

• This subspecies is a large, bulky mammal with long black hair and a short, well-haired tail.
• Black bears in this region are normally black with a brown muzzle and an occasional white blaze on the chest.

• Louisiana black bear skulls, when contrasted with other black bear skulls, are relatively long, narrow, and flat, and have proportionately large molar teeth.
• The facial profile is rather blunt, the eyes small, and the nose pad broad with large nostrils. The muzzle is yellowish-brown with a white patch sometimes present on the lower throat and chest.
• There are five toes with short, curved claws on the front and hind feet.

• Adult males may weigh 300 to 400 pounds or more, and adult females 120 to over 180 pounds. The largest Louisiana black bear weight taken in recent years was a 540 pounds male from the Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge.
• Body lengths on adults range from 3 to 6 feet from nose to their short tail. Size typically varies depending on the quality and quantity of available food.