In the wild, a black bear can live to be twenty-five or thirty years of age, but very few do. In addition to hunting and poaching, bears sometimes die from starvation, drought and accidents. Nevertheless, black bear populations in the United States are growing. Bears were once thought of as varmints to be eliminated wherever they were found, and still there is a false perception of the dangers posed by bears. Statistically, you are more likely to be killed by one of the people living near you than by a bear in the forest. Yes, they are powerful creatures and no wild animal should be taken for granted but, with reasonable precautions, bears don't pose much of a threat.