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Home Range, Habitat Use, and Mortality of Black Bears in North-Central Florida

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Thirty-three black bears (Ursus americanus) were captured and 27 (11 F: 16 M) were radiocollared from 1983 to 1988 on 2 study areas in north-central Florida to study home-range characteristics, habitat use, and mortality. A total of 2,146 locations were recorded. Home-range sizes, calculated by the convex polygon method, averaged 170 ± 26 (SE) km2 for adult males (n = 12) and 28 ± 5 km2 for adult females (n = 8). Home-range sizes were smallest during winter and spring and largest during summer and fall for all bears. Home ranges of bears from all sex and age classes overlapped. Habitat preference of bears on the Ocala study area shifted from pine flatwoods in winter and spring to sand pine scrub in summer and fall. Bears on the Osceola study area preferred hardwood swamps throughout the year. Annual mortality rates were 0.16 for females and 0.12 for males. Major causes of death for tagged bears were hunting and collisions with motor vehicles.

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