Approximately 150 cm long, and with a height at the shoulder that varies from 100 to 120 centimetres, an adult black bear has a moderate-sized head with a straight facial profile and a tapered nose with long nostrils. The ears are rounded and the eyes are small. The tail is very short and inconspicuous. Black bears will eat almost anything available. Most of their food is plant material, especially in the late summer and autumn when berries and nuts are available. They also like Insects such as ants, and black bears will overturn logs, old stumps, and stones while hunting for food. Fish, small mammals, and birds are also in their diet.

It is considered a source of spiritual strength and of great medicinal value to Mi’kmaq people.