The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is sharing the annual reminder that juvenile black bears might be seen in unexpected areas as they leave their mothers’ home ranges in search of new locations of their own to settle down. Spring also marks a general increase in bear activity after limited winter movements.
“Juvenile or yearling bears – between the ages of 1½ -2½ – start dispersing in spring and summer each year,” said the FWC’s Bear Management Program Coordinator, Mike Orlando. “The best thing people can do if they see a bear in an unexpected area is to give them plenty of space and never to approach or feed them and they will typically move along on their own.”
During this time of year, black bear sightings have increased in suburban and urban areas, including in cities such as Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and others around the state. Seeing a bear in a neighborhood is not necessarily cause for alarm. However, it is important that people secure food attractants so that bears do not linger in the area. Generally, if a bear is not able to find food and is given space, it will move on. Feeding bears can make them lose their natural fear of people. It is also illegal in Florida to intentionally feed bears or leave out food or garbage that will attract bears.
Black bears are not generally aggressive, but like any wild animal, if they feel threatened, they can become defensive. Dogs have been involved in over half of the incidents of people being injured by bears in Florida. When walking dogs, keep them close to you – ideally on a non-retractable leash – and be aware of your surroundings, which is good practice for preventing conflicts with wildlife. Before letting your dog out at night in your yard, flip lights on and off and bang on the door to give bears and other wildlife a chance to leave the area.
As bears become more active this time of year, they cross more roadways. For your own safety and to avoid hitting bears and other wildlife, remember to slow down when driving, particularly on rural highways at dawn or dusk. Watch for road signs identifying bear crossing areas. Each year in Florida, an average of 300 bears are killed after being hit by vehicles.
If you have bears in your area, follow these additional BearWise® tips to help prevent conflicts with bears:
Secure food and garbage.
Remove or secure bird and wildlife feeders.
Never leave pet food outdoors.
Clean and store grills.
Alert neighbors to bear activity.
Having conflicts with bears? FWC staff are here to help — call the FWC regional office closest to you. To find the phone number for your region, go to MyFWC.com/Contact, and click on “Contact Regional Offices.”
If you spot an injured, orphaned, or dead bear, feel threatened by a bear, or to report someone who is either harming bears or intentionally feeding them, call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
More information is available at MyFWC.com/Bear, where you can access the “Guide to Living in Bear Country” brochure. Find additional ways to be BearWise at BearWise.org. Thirty-nine states, including Florida, support BearWise®, an innovative program that helps people learn ways to responsibly live around bears. Help us help bears and other wildlife by purchasing the Conserve Wildlife license plate at WildlifeFlorida.org/CWT.
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ruthlawler
Right now HB 87, "Taking of Bears" is on Gov. DeSantis' desk for signature. Florida Wildlife Federation urges a rejection of this bill. It will allow the killing of bears by citizens, which is currently not allowed. There is not a bear problem, yet a human problem where bears are attracted by the smell of garbage, to bird feeders, BBQ grills and stupid people who feed the bears. Please contact the Govonor's office to ask for this bill to be rejected. Office of Govenor is 850-717-9337. Protect these amazing animals! Ruth Lawler
Monday, June 10 Report this