Getting the average life-span for wild black bears is very difficult,
but we do know that after 15 years a bear can be considered old.
The 2 oldest known bears from Florida were 18 years old when they died
(one as an apiary nuisance, the other apparently drowned). Both sows
were from the Ocala population. The oldest known male, from the Apalachicola
population, was killed by a vehicle at 15. In zoos, black bears have
been known to live into their 30's. Adult black bears have no predators
besides humans and other bears, but do suffer mortality from other sources:
Cubs: Approximately 25-50% of all cubs die before they turn
one year old. Natural causes of death include drowning, den cave-ins,
hypothermia due to flooded dens, starvation, falling from trees, infections
from injuries, and predation (by bobcats, coyotes, or other bears -
mainly males). They are also struck by vehicles.
Juveniles: Yearlings have outgrown many threats (cave-ins,
hypothermia, etc.) and enjoy the guidance and protection of their mother
until summer, when they establish their own home range. Inexperience
results in high mortality rates from starvation, especially during poor
mast years, predation by other bears, and vehicle collisions.
About 23% will die before they turn two years old.
Young, independent females establish a home range close to their mother.
Even with this local knowledge, they still suffer from collisions with
vehicles and human conflicts, and predation from other bears.
Starvation, especially in poor mast years, is also a problem.
About 20% die before reaching adulthood (~4 years old). Juvenile
males travel farther in search of a new home range. The traveling needed
to forage and find new den sites in unknown territory increases these
risks, about 46% of males will die before adulthood.
Adults: Once fully grown, black bears have no predators besides
humans and other bears. Main causes of mortality are old age, vehicle
collisions, starvation, and poaching (Florida has no legal hunting season).
The legal bear season was reduced to certain areas of the state in 1974,
then further reduced until it was closed statewide in 1994. To see a
timeline of hunting regulations, view this table. Additional causes include other bears (intraspecific fighting and cannibalism),
disease, and accidents.
Little information is available on the diseases and parasites of wild
black bears. Research shows that, while bears host external parasites
(ticks and mites) and several types of internal parasites (helminths,
nematodes, trematodes, and acanthocephalams), they are not believed
to cause any significant problems.
