Due to the influx of people and growing bear population, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has released some tips for avoiding conflicts with the Florida black bear.
According to FWC, Some bears are moving northward to Lehigh Acres and other areas because they were forced out by their bear relatives to the south – where there is good habitat – and are looking for a new home elsewhere.
These displaced bears often travel through an undeveloped corridor by Lake Trafford to Lehigh Acres. If not given a human-caused feeding opportunity, these bears will continue moving through Lehigh Acres to more suitable undeveloped bear habitat.
According to Angeline Scotten, FWC wildlife assistance biologist, Bears go from eating 5,000 calories per day to in the fall- 20,000 calories per day. They’re trying to out on weight for Florida’s not so hard winter; they go through the same changes as the bears up north do. Our trash has a lot more calories than they can find in the wild. Take a donut verses palmetto berries, the donuts going to win every time.
FWC cautions residents to store their garbage in a manner that denies bears access to it, or bears repeatedly will visit that neighborhood to obtain food.
The FWC recommends the following steps to prevent human-bear conflicts:
• Feed your pets indoors or bring in dishes after feeding.
• Secure household garbage in a shed, garage or a wildlife-resistant container.
• Put household garbage out on the morning of pickup, not the night before.
• Secure commercial garbage in bear-resistant dumpsters consisting of metal lids or metal-reinforced plastic lids and lock bars.
• Clean grills and store them in a locked, secure place.
• Remove wildlife feeders or make them bear-resistant.
• Protect gardens, apiaries, compost and livestock with electric fencing.
• Pick ripe fruit from trees and remove fallen fruit from the ground.
• Encourage your homeowners association or local government to institute ordinances on keeping foods secure that would attract wildlife.
Ignoring these recommendations greatly increases the chances that a bear will become a nuisance – conditioned to visiting neighborhoods, and have to be euthanized. Help conserve wildlife by remembering a fed bear may become a dead bear.
If you would like more information on avoiding conflicts with bears, visit MyFWC.com/Bear and click on the video titled “Living with Florida Black Bears.”
My Parent’s spotted large black bear in Lehigh Acres, Florida Wednesday January 2, 2013 Williams Avenue and 11th Street. Crossing Williams Blvd.