 The Corridor Advocacy Group chose to name the scenic byway after the Florida Black Bear in order to increase support for their conservation, heighten the public’s awareness of the importance of the Florida Black Bear as an umbrella species, and in recognition of the Florida Black Bear as an embodiment of Florida’s vanishing wilderness. In addition, it is hoped that increasing the driver’s awareness of the presence of black bears in the Scenic Byway corridor through the Scenic Highway signage will help reduce the number of accidents caused by automobile and bear collisions.
The Florida Black Bear, (Ursus americanus floridanus) is a unique subspecies of the American black bear, and is listed as a threatened species by the state of Florida. The Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway Corridor encompasses two of the six major Florida Black Bear populations in the state of Florida; the Ocala population and the St. Johns population. The Ocala National Forest is one of the largest and most important habitats for bears in Florida. Bear photo courtesy USDA Forest Service |
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