The Social Black Bear: What Bears Have Taught Me About Being Human

Black bears, thought to be solitary, have a different type of social behavior that possibly parallels early human behavior. They show evidence of reciprocal altruism, food sharing ,and early group formation of unrelated individuals. Bear can live for as many as forty years, which allows them long-term benefits from forming relationships with fellow cooperators.

Ben Kilham is a wildlife biologist based in Lyme, NH. His love of and devotion to black bears has enabled him to study their habits.