The Florida black bear is a subspecies of the American black Bear. It is the largest native land mammal in Florida weighing in at an average weight of 300 pounds. It ranges throughout Florida and the southern portions of Alabama and Georgia. Before the early colonization of Florida, black bears could be found as far south as the Florida Keys. Their current range is sporadic with the heaviest bear populations being in protected land areas like national and state lands. The Florida Black Bear is rarely seen in the wild as it spends most of its time in dense forested areas and is shy and secretive. The Florida black bear has a shiny, black coat of long fur and a light brown nose and snout. The black bear has a short tail that is almost always hidden by its long fur, and long, sharp claws that help the bear climb trees or dig for food. Bears are omnivores, meaning they eat both vegetable and animal matter. Some foods a black bear may eat include acorns, insects, berries, saw palmetto and sabal palm fruits as well as small animals. 