Florida Black bears are getting busy

This is an active time of year for Florida’s black bears.

During this time of year the bears are searching for a variety of berries and other seasonal foods that grow throughout their range.

Female bears that gave birth to cubs that were only 12 ounces in January are also beginning to move around with their babies, which are now around 5 pounds.

While black bears generally are not aggressive, a mother bear may try to defend her cubs.

As females and cubs increase their movements this time of year, they also increase the number of roads they cross.

For the safety of yourself and bears, remember to slow down when driving, particularly on rural highways at dawn or dusk.

Over 200 Florida bears were killed after being hit by vehicles in 2013.

The woods provide bears with all the food they need, but as most locals know – bears will also eat food from dog bowls, garbage cans and anything else that is easy pickings. 

To minimize the chances of black bears wandering into your yard the best thing to do is remove or secure anything that might attract animals, such as garbage cans, pet food, birdseed, outdoor grills and compost bins.

If a bear continues to come into an area after all attractants have been removed then its time to call the FWC to trap the bear.

You can do that by calling the FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.

More information is available at MyFWC.com/Bear, where you can click on Brochures to access “A guide to living in bear country.”

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