In a recent study on Black Bears, mountain vs. coastal habitats, distinct differences were reported. Conducted by NC State University, the location of the bear’s diversity is interesting when it comes to population, habitats, and health. Using DNA black bear samples collected over several years, researchers generated three different genetic clusters. They found that black bears in the mountains were healthier and lived longer, even though the coast had a larger population. Researchers determined that there’s been more change in the coastal region compared to the mountains. For instance, coastal bears are running out of usable habitat, so there’s evidence of potential isolation and movement into residential areas or neighborhoods. It was also determined that this leads to a bears ability to roam farther and encounter bears from other parts of the state. This is the reason that NC State researchers determined there is more inbreeding contributing to the development of different genetic clusters.