Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for black bear recovery. Thanks to conservation efforts by the state, Defenders of Wildlife and others, the Florida black bear was removed from the Florida state threatened species list on August 24, 2012. We work with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on developing long-term plans for managing and connecting bear habitat throughout the state. We also provide a variety of public education programs and resources, such as bear-resistant dumpsters, to help prevent human-bear conflicts.

Visit our Species at Risk: Florida Black Bear [1] page to learn more about what Defenders is doing to protect Black Bears.