The Florida black bear is the largest land animal that you will find in Florida. They live in wooded areas. Although they were quite common before the arrival of Europeans in Florida, they are now an endangered species and are rarely seen.
Sadly, many of the state's remaining black bears are killed in automobile accidents. This is largely due to these bears losing their fear of people and becoming habituated and food-conditioned. Once this happens and they begin wandering into residential areas, it is highly likely that they will be killed, if not by vehicles then by illegal shooting or bear management actions aimed at protecting communities. Preventative methods—such as using bear-resistant trash containers or putting your trash out the morning of pick up rather than the night before—can help keep both bears and people safe. If you live in an area with lots of bears (even if they aren't Florida black bears), it would be wise to consider putting some of these methods in place.
Florida black bears are practically vegetarians! Their diets consist of about 80% plants (e.g., fruits, nuts, berries), 15% insects (e.g., termites, ants, yellow jackets), and a measly 5% meat (e.g., opossums, armadillos, carrion).