The study found that a killer male may be starving. But he also may not be hungry.

FAITH LAPIDUS: Other findings from the report confirm some commonly accepted beliefs about bears. For example, one or two people are more likely to be targets than a group. And bears that have killed a human are more likely to kill again.

The study also confirms other widely held beliefs about bears. For example, the report says people’s food and containers for waste attract bears. And it says bears that live around humans do not usually carry out deadly attacks.

Eighty-five percent of deadly attacks in the wild were recorded since nineteen sixty. Mr. Herrero says he and other researchers are often asked if this means that bears are changing their behavior. Or, they are asked if people are changing their behavior, or both.

To those questions, he notes that the human population has grown greatly in the past half century. He says there are more people in the woods for both recreational and business activities. This means increased chances for attacks.

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BOB DOUGHTY: How can you recognize a black bear? It may not be easy. Surprisingly, not all black bears are completely or even partly black. Some have large areas of black fur. But they may have brown noses and white areas on their chests. Other kinds of black bears appear silver or have other colors.

The group Defenders of Wildlife describes black bears as between a half-meter and three fourths of a meter at the shoulders. It says males weigh an average of sixty eight to one hundred fifty-eight kilograms. But some males can weigh up to two hundred thirty kilograms. Females may weigh anywhere from about thirty kilograms to one hundred forty kilograms. Black bears eat plants, fruits, nuts, insects, fish and small animals.