Born in the wild in February, young Maximus was orphaned by his mother for unknown reasons. The juvenile Florida black bear weighed a mere found pounds when he was rescued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The tiny bear received medical care and around-the-clock supervision, requiring frequent feedings. Despite caregivers’ best efforts, FWC deemed the young bear non-releasable, and it just happened that there was space available for a permanent resident bear at Homosassa.
Florida’s only wildlife state park works in cooperation with FWC to rehabilitate orphaned black bears and release them back into the wild, and has facilities to house several non-releasable bears. Prior to Maximus’ arrival, Homosassa housed one adult Florida black bear, Biddy. She has resided at the park since arriving with her twin brother, Brutus, as cubs.
With the passing of Brutus last year, Biddy has been the park’s only resident Florida black bear. She has enjoyed her solitude, as female bears in the wild typically keep to themselves. Keeping this in mind, staff will ensure that Biddy and Maximus will spend time on exhibit separately, following a rotating schedule like that of the panthers.
Park visitors will have the opportunity to see Maximus once he has grown enough to successfully navigate his exhibit. The park will provide updates when Maximus will be in public view. For more information, call Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park office at 352-628-5343.
Guest Article by Kate Spratt, Park Services Specialist
