Florida black bears are getting more active — and hungry — as the weather warms up.
Though they’re most prominent in areas like the Panhandle, Ocala and Big Cypress, bears make appearances across the whole state. They’ve shown up in cities like Orlando, and there was a young black bear in Gainesville two years ago.
“You could really run into a bear anywhere in the state of Florida," said Michael Orlando, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Bear Management Program Coordinator.
The FWC estimates there are around 4,000 bears in the state, he said.
Donald Clark, a New York native, said he hasn’t run into any bears in Florida since living in Citrus County for 18 years. But his experience with bears in other states guides his interactions with them now.
“Bears don't really want to cause you any trouble, but they quickly will get accustomed to garbage out or bird feeders, or any source of food. Once they've done that, they sort of lose their fear of you,” Clark said.
Black bears come out of their winter dens around this time of year, and they look for food and water, according to the FWC.
Unsecured food and trash can be an easy meal for them. Avoid leaving them out in your yard, Orlando said, and anything else that can attract a bear. Intentionally leaving food out for bears is illegal in Florida, and the first violation is punishable with a $100 civil penalty.
If you have a bird feeder outside, he said it's wise to take it down until further notice.
“You can’t put it back up because they will take the easy meal every single time,” Orlando said, “so it’s best to just take it down and not put it back up until you haven’t seen a bear in quite some time.”
The FWC advises to feed pets indoors, never leave pet food outside, clean and store grills and smokers, and alert neighbors to bear activity in the area as well.
Black bears are most active in the morning and when it starts to get dark, Orlando said. Three hundred bears on average are killed after being hit by vehicles, according to the FWC. Motorists are advised to slow down at dawn or dusk to avoid collisions when driving through rural highways and roads with wildlife crossing areas.
If you do run into a black bear, Orlando said there are simply steps to follow. Black bears don’t really want to engage with humans, he said, and they’ll usually run away from people.
“We really try to make sure people have respect for bears on both sides,” he said. “Don't be terribly afraid of them, and don't be so fond of them that you're, you know, you're going to be feeding them."
He said to stay calm and avoid sneaking up on the bear. Instead, make yourself look big and talk to the bear so it knows you’re there, and back away to a safe place if it’s close.
While black bear attacks are rare, Orlando said the first fatal bear attack in Florida history occurred last year. There have been 44 documented incidents since the 1970s in which wild black bears have made physical contact with people, and 29 of them involved dogs, according to the FWC.
Ultimately, Orlando said to treat these wild creatures with respect. If you do encounter one, he said to take a second to appreciate seeing a bear in the wild.
“Just enjoy bears for being a symbol of wildness,” Orlando said.