Black Bear (Diorama)

Summary

The Black Bear diorama is located on the first floor in the Bernard Family Hall of North American Mammals. The diorama was completed in 1947 and was restored during the Hall's renovation project in 2011-2012. The scene depicts a black bear that has startled a venomous cottonmouth snake in a Florida cypress swamp near Lake Placid, Florida. The snake exposes its fangs in threat, but neither animal is likely to attack. Bald cypress trees dominate this Florida swamp. The background was painted by James Perry Wilson. The foreground artist was George Petersen. The taxidermist was Gardell Christensen. (Windows on Nature, 2006)

Topics

• AMNH Dioramas
• Bears -- North America -- Exhibitions