Black bears are getting active and eating more

If it seems like you are seeing more black bears than usual, you probably are.

Fall is an active time of year for Florida black bears as they stock up on calories for the coming winter.

Though black bears don’t really need to put on pounds to survive the state’s usually mild winters, they behave as if they do need to – eating about three times as much as usual.

And this time of year many more people find black bears digging in their trash cans and trying to get their pet’s food, because its easier and more appealing than foraging in the woods for palmetto berries and acorns.

They will consume around 25,000 calories a day and eat almost anything that’s convenient.

The easier a food item is to get, the more likely it is that a bear will take advantage of it – and a bear’s sense of smell is so keen it can detect food more than a mile away.

Bear-related calls to the FWC are up this year in many parts of the state.

Since January in central and south Florida, the FWC has documented the highest number of calls per month on record for six of the past nine months.

Calls in other parts of the state also are relatively high this year.

To keep bears away from your home and neighborhood, remember to feed your pets indoors or bring in dishes after feeding.

Secure your household garbage in a shed, garage or a wildlife-resistant container.

Put household garbage out on the morning of pickup, not the night before.

And If you have a grill, make sure its cleaned or stored in a locked, secure place.

Also, make sure to drive very carefully, black bears don’t tend to look both ways before running into traffic.

If you would like more information about black bears and how to live with them, go to MyFWC.com/Bear to learn more about living in bear country.

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