|
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding people to help prevent conflicts with bears by securing garbage and other items that might attract these animals.
In the fall, Florida black bears begin preparing for the winter by consuming extra calories to pack on fat. During this time, they will eat anything that’s convenient and feeding on garbage provides more calories and less effort than foraging in the woods.
By securing your trash and other food attractants, you can help keep both people and bears safe.
To keep bears wild and away from your home, follow these simple tips:
It is illegal in Florida to intentionally feed bears or leave out food or garbage that will attract bears and cause human-bear conflicts. If you see or suspect someone is feeding or attracting bears, please call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
You also can help people and bears stay safe by remembering to watch for bears while driving. This time of year, bears are traveling across more roads in search of food, which results in more vehicle-bear collisions. The FWC advises drivers to be aware of their surroundings as they drive in bear country, especially around dusk and dawn, and when there is forest on both sides of the road. The FWC works with Florida Department of Transportation to post bear crossing signs in areas that receive particularly high levels of vehicle-bear collisions and plan locations for wildlife underpasses to allow bears and other animals to cross safely under roadways. To learn more about how to keep people and bears safe on Florida roadways, see the “Vehicle Collisions with Bears” video at the “Brochures and Videos” section of MyFWC.com/Bear.
Go to MyFWC.com/Bear to learn more about living in bear country.
Media contacts:
Statewide: Carli Segelson, 772-215-9459
Northwest: Bekah Nelson, 850-265-3676
North Central: Karen Parker, 386-872-0831
Northeast: Greg Workman, 352-239-2763
Southwest: Melody Kilborn, 863-227-3830
South: Carol Lyn Parrish, 850-556-2269