Maine has one of the largest number of black bears because it has the largest area of suitable habitat for black bears, with more than eighty percent of the state being prime habitat for the Maine black bear. If you look at a map, you will see that roughly a third of the state (its northwestern section) is undeveloped and unpopulated by human beings. Neighboring New Brunswick also provides for a continuous habitat for bears, who can easily swim the St. John River not far from Petra, Maine.