Life Expectancy and MortalityWhat’s In an Age?Determining the average life-span for wild black bears is very difficult.
The 2 oldest known bears from Florida were 20 years old (killed in 1985 during a legal bear hunt held on Apalachicola Wildlife Management Area) and 19 years old (captured in 2004 as part of a University of Kentucky Glades/Highland Bear Population Study). Both bears were females (sows). The oldest known male, from the Ocala population, was killed by a vehicle at age 16.
In zoos, black bears have been known to live into their 30's. Adult black bears have no predators besides humans and other bears, but do suffer mortality from other sources such as transportation related mortality. Life Expectancy and Mortality:Cubs: Approximately 25-50% of all cubs die before they turn one year old. Natural causes of death include drowning, den cave-ins, hypothermia due to flooded dens, starvation, infections from injuries, and predation (by other bears). They are also struck by vehicles.
Juveniles: Yearlings will establish their own home range once they disperse from their mother. Yearlings are susceptible to high mortality rates as a result of starvation, predation by other bears, and vehicle collisions. About a quarter will die before they turn two years old. Young, independent females establish a home range close to their mother. About 20% die before reaching adulthood (~4 years old). Juvenile males travel farther in search of a new home range. The traveling needed to forage and find new den sites in unknown territory increases mortality risks, and approximately 46% of males will die before reaching adulthood.
 
Adults: Once fully grown, black bears have no predators besides humans and other bears. Main causes of mortality are old age, vehicle collisions, starvation, and poaching (Florida has no legal hunting season), other bears, disease, and accidents.  
Hunting:
The legal bear hunting season was reduced to certain areas of the state in 1974, then further reduced until it was closed statewide in 1994. Click the link to see a timeline of including hunting regulations and other state management activities regarding the Florida Black Bear.
Disease and Parasites:
Little information is available on the diseases and parasites of wild black bears. Research shows that, while bears host external parasites (ticks and mites) and several types of internal parasites (helminths, nematodes, trematodes, and acanthocephalams); they are not believed to cause any significant health problems to bears. | |  Click the license plate above to learn how to get the Conserve Wildlife tag and where the money goes.
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