Black Bears are West Virginias only bear species.

They have deep black fur all over, with a lighter brown color on their snouts. They have short tails, and rounded ears with sparse fur. They also have large paws armed with claws ranging from 2-4 inches in length.

They reach weights of 60 to 160 kg and stand about 1 meter tall at the shoulder, and almost 2 meters tall when standing up on their hind legs. They inhabit the forests of the watershed, and forest amongst high-mountain sphagnum bogs and wet meadows. As omnivores they eat young skunk cabbage, berries, sedges and insects, along with carrion, and young ungulates- but 85% of their diet consists of vegetation.