Bears differ from other carnivores in that their specialized molars are not specifically adapted for shearing meat, but rather for grinding plants. However, for such a large animal to successfully sustain itself on a predominantly vegetarian diet, the black bear must spend a lot of time eating and is known to consume tens of thousands of nuts and berries in a single day. While they spend about half of the day foraging for food and eating, the average black bear consumes a nut or berry every second of that time.