Three types of bears roam throughout North America; the grizzly, polar and black bear. The most commonly found of these is also the smallest of the group, the American Black Bear (Ursus americanus). The American Black Bear roams throughout 41 of the 50 U.S. states. The state of Florida has its very own subspecies named the Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus).

It is estimated that there are at least 600,000 black bears in North America. In the United States, there are estimated to be over 300,000 black bears. However, the Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus) is a threatened subspecies with a small population estimated around 1,500.