Are black bears and cinnamon bears the same kind of animal?
Black bears are typically black overall, with brown muzzles, perhaps brown spots over the eyes, and sometimes a white V or patch on the chest. However, one of the named subspecies of black bear is the so-called “cinnamon” bear (Ursus americanus cinnamonum) described in 1854 by J.J. Audubon and J. Bachman from a specimen taken in Colorado. In reality, brown, cinnamon, and blonde “black bears” occur widely west of the Rocky Mountains. These color phases are nearly identical to those in domestic dogs and appear to be inherited. Brown-phase animals are rare or absent in moist areas of North America but common in arid regions. For example, in Minnesota, 94% of black bears are black, but only 9% in Yosemite National Park. This probably represents natural selection, as influenced by vegetation and habitat type. Bears in dense boreal or mountainous forests or temperate rain forests are predominantly black, while those in more diverse habitats have a greater percentage of alternative coloration
