Appearance:
The Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus), is one of 16 subspecies of the American black bear and is the only bear species in Florida.
While other subspecies of the American black bear can have different coat colors from black to blonde to cinnamon, Florida black bears are black furred.
Habitat:
Black bears prefer habitats with a dense understory such as forested wetlands and uplands, natural pinelands, hammocks, scrub, and shrub lands, but will use just about every habitat type in Florida, including swamps.
Behavior:
Bears are solitary by nature, except when in family groups (female and offspring) or pairings during the mating season.
Bears will congregate in areas of high food density.
Additional Information:
Additional information about the Florida black bear is available at MyFWC.com/Bear.
Image Credit: Tim Donovan/FWC