SYNOPSIS: Join Shelby Shiver, a black bear biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and her all-female team in South Florida as they embark on a critical mission: capturing and tagging black bears. Their goal? To gather vital population data to help estimate the growth of Florida's black bear numbers. This essential research aims to discover whether or not black bear subpopulations across the state are interconnected and thriving thanks to protected wildlife corridors, or if further conservation efforts need to be made to protect species amidst rapid human development.
Impact: The Film pREMIERED ONLINE ON NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL, REACHING A GLOBAL AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 24 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS AND BRINGING THE STORY OF FLORIDA’S BLACK BEARS TO VIEWERS WORLDWIDE. THE FILM SPARKED WIDESPREAD MEDIA COVERAGE, INCLUDING FEATURES IN THE GUARDIAN, AXIOS MIAMI, AND TELEVISION SEGMENTS ON 10 Tampa Bay, WFLA’S DAYTIME AND BLOOM TAMPA BAY AS WELL AS WTSP’S GREAT DAY LIVE. THROUGH THESE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL OUTLETS, THE FILM HAS BROUGHT URGENT ATTENTION TO THE FUTURE OF FLORIDA’S BEARS AS DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES ESCALATE AND THE STATE PREPARES FOR ITS FIRST BEAR HUNT IN A DECADE, ELEVATING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION SOLUTIONS TO A BROADER PUBLIC AUDIENCE.
AWARDS: 2026 WINNER FOCUS ON FLORIDA DOC AWARD AT THE GASPARILLA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL; 2026 OFFICIAL SELECTION OF THE ST. AUGGIE SHORTS; 2026 OFFICIAL SELECTION OF THE FLORIDA ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL; 2026 OFFICIAL SELECTION OF THE CENTRAL FLORIDA FILM FESTIVAL; 2026 OFFICIAL SELECTION OF THE FT. MEYERS FILM FESTIVAL; 2026 BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT NOMINEE AT THE SUNSCREEN FILM FESTIVAL; 2026 BEST FLORIDA FILM NOMINEE AT THE SUNSCREEN FILM FESTIVAL; 2026 OFFICIAL SELECTION OF THE DC ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL
