The shy and secretive Florida black bear hides in dense vegetation and is rarely seen in the wild. As the largest native land mammal in Florida, the males can weigh up to 450 pounds. Most Florida black bears are 5–6 feet long and about three feet high at the shoulder.
Florida black bears are an important part of Florida’s ecosystems. They are an “umbrella species” because they need diverse habitats over a large geographic area. This means they share living space with a variety of other protected, threatened and endangered animals. Some of these include the gopher tortoise, Eastern Indigo snake and the Florida scrub-jay. By protecting the Florida black bear and its habitat, we also protect these other species’ habitats.