The black bear may be Florida’s most misunderstood mammal. Feared by many as a man-eating predator and adored by others as a cuddly teddy bear, the truth, as usual, lies somewhere in between. Although we will never know everything about bears, a quarter century of research and management by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has revealed much about the habits, needs and behavior of Florida’s largest native land animal.

Natural History

The Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus) is one of three subspecies of American black bear found in the southeastern United States. Although these subspecies look a lot alike, the Florida black bear can be identified by its highly arched forehead and long, narrow braincase. As with all American black bears, Florida black bears are large, powerful mammals that have a shy, secretive manner. Adult males normally weigh 250 – 450 lbs., and adult females normally weigh 125 – 250 lbs. Both sexes have soft, black hair, often with blonde chest markings; small, round ears; short tails; stout, curved claws; and large canine teeth. Black bears eat just about anything, but mostly eat vegetation, nuts, berries and insects. In Florida, black bears rely upon saw palmetto plants, black gum and oak trees for a significant portion of their diet. They may eat animals such as armadillos, deer fawns, and hogs but these food sources make up a small portion of their diet.

Florida black bears range over large areas and rely upon forests, but are not limited to specific forest types. Forested wetlands and bottomland hardwoods provide optimal habitat, but any forested areas of large size with diverse foods and dense cover can support bears. Home range sizes vary greatly, but average approximately 14 square miles for females and 62 square miles for males. Florida black bears do not defend a territory and tolerate considerable overlap in home ranges. Individuals tend to be solitary, except for females with young and groups at abundant food sites (like productive oak hammocks in fall).

Compared to most animals, Florida black bears produce few offspring. Females typically have their first litters at age three or four and generally have two cubs every other year. The overall average age of bears in Florida usually varies between 4 – 6 years. Many bears die as cubs and yearlings, which lowers the average age, but once bears reach adulthood (4 years and older), males generally live to be 8 – 12 years old and females live to be 10 – 15 years old.

Historically, black bears ranged throughout the Southeast, with the Florida subspecies inhabiting all of Florida, including the upper keys and portions of southern Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. This widespread range has been greatly reduced and fragmented by human activity. Large-scale land clearing in the early 1900’s along with unregulated killing, which occurred up to the mid 1900’s, had the greatest negative impacts. Bear populations in Florida reached their low point between the 1950s and 1970s, with only several hundred to a thousand individuals estimated statewide. Florida’s bear population has since rebounded because of management actions and reforestation across the state. More recently, however, development associated with Florida’s growing human population has begun to directly compete for space with the wide-ranging black bear.

The current range of bears in Florida has been restricted to six large (Apalachicola, Big Cypress, Eglin, Ocala, Osceola and St. Johns) and two small (Chassahowitzka and Glades/Highlands) populations. These populations range in size from a few individuals to several hundred bears. Dispersing bears may be found virtually anywhere in the state, and low numbers of bears inhabit lands surrounding the current populations and some large undeveloped areas like the “Big Bend” region of the state.

There is no accurate, scientifically generated estimate of the number of black bears in Florida. In 1998, FWC staff estimated the statewide bear population to be 1,282 bears based on density estimates from past studies and estimates of occupied range. Results from more recent studies and consistently increasing trends in bear roadkill, nuisance complaints, sightings, and sign suggest that bear numbers and range are increasing in many bear populations, particularly in the Ocala and Apalachicola National Forests and surrounding areas. A recently initiated study funded by the Florida Department of Transportation and conducted by the FWC is enumerating the present range and density of bears in the six large populations across Florida. Results from this research should be available by the end of this year.

Legal Status

Black bears are protected by state statute as a threatened species throughout Florida except those in Baker and Columbia counties and Apalachicola National Forest. Bears in these areas were listed as game mammals and hunted until seasons were closed in 1994. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has reviewed the status of the Florida black bear and, after initially indicating that federal listing was warranted but precluded by higher priority species, concluded that they do not merit federal listing as a threatened or endangered species.

Human/Bear Conflicts

The annual number of bear roadkill has steadily risen from two in 1976 (when records were first kept) to 109 in 2000, 105 in 2001, and 132 in 2002. Similarly, the annual number of reported human/bear conflicts has risen from one in 1978 to 1,133 in 2000, 796 in 2001, and 1,340 in 2002. Moreover, if current trends continue, numbers of both roadkill and human/bear conflicts will increase in the future. As Florida’s human population continues to grow and encroach upon remaining bear habitat, and as black bear populations expand from historic lows, human/bear conflicts likely will continue to grow in number and intensity. Although no attacks on humans by bears have been documented in Florida, there have been numerous cases of bears in buildings, bears attacking livestock and pets and other serious conflicts. Given these factors, management agencies and private landowners face a tough challenge in attempting to balance the need to protect and preserve bear populations with the demand to ensure the safety and well being of Floridians.

Future Outlook

Perhaps the single most critical issue that bears and many other wildlife species face in Florida is human population growth. There are currently more than 16 million people living in Florida with an estimated additional 5 million visitors residing in the state on any given day. The number of residents is expected to climb to 20 million over the next 20 years and the number of visitors will most likely increase as well. Such projections mean that more than 25 million people will be located in Florida in the year 2020. By comparison, there are only 37 million residents in all of Canada. The sheer mass of the infrastructure and resources needed to accommodate all of these people will dictate much of what remains for wildlife. Even so, the outlook for bears in Florida looks pretty good, given the circumstances. Bear populations are currently rebounding from historic lows and most likely will continue to do so for many more years. Bears have a large habitat base on protected lands with more being added every year. There is strong public support for bear conservation and many agencies, organizations and individuals are working with the FWC to keep bears a part of Florida. Much remains to be done, but if we can continue to increase our knowledge and understanding of bears and their interactions with humans, ample opportunity remains for us to secure the future of this intriguing species.