Becoming Bear Aware in Hillsborough County
Have you seen it on the news? Bears in Hillsborough County!
Over Memorial Day Weekend, a bear was active around some
neighborhoods in Hillsborough County, leaving some residents amazed, maybe a
little fearful, and picking up their garbage cans in the morning.
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| A Florida black bear in a tree. Photo courtesy of FWC, 2013 |
Even though they may not hibernate quite like they do in colder climates, spring and early summer is still when Florida black bears become a lot more active. Younger bears may wander far from their normal habitats to find new food sources, and female bears may be teaching new cubs how to forage.
While bears may meander into our neighborhoods, they
still don’t want to have human interactions and we don’t want to incentivize them
to stay around.
How can we make sure we stay safe, and the bears do too? By
being good neighbors to nature!
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| Bear vs Garbage Can Photo by Tim Donovan, 2017. Courtesy FWC. |
Don’t leave a lunch for Yogi.
If there are reports of a bear in your area, secure potential
food sources for the time being. Any potential food sources or smells that
attract bears may surprise you.
Don’t leave out pet food, pick up ripe or fallen
fruits from your trees or yard, and maybe take down bird feeders until the
bear has moved on.
Store garbage in your garage or a shed until the morning of
trash pickup. Clean out your grills that may have leftover food on them and
store them in the garage or shed as well.
Never intentionally feed a bear, it is both unsafe and
illegal.
Remember they’re not your teddy.
They may look cuddly, but do not approach bears. That’s
easy enough! Give bears their space when you see them and haze them. What’s
hazing to a bear? Get big, loud, rattle keys or cans, or yell to remind the
bear that humans are scary.
Remember that while black bears are generally not
aggressive, it’s best to keep your pets inside or close by on leash if there
are bear sightings in your area. Turn on your outside lights and take a peek
before letting your dog out in the yard, and try to avoid walking at dawn and dusk when there is known bear activity in your area.
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| A Florida black bear in a tree. Photo courtesy of FWC, 2012 |
Let others know.
If you see a bear, or if you have heard of one in your area,
alert your neighbors to be watchful and let them know these tips to help them make
bear-safe choices.
If there are conflicts with the bear that are putting humans
or the bear in harm’s way, alert FWC. In Hillsborough County you would call (863)
648-3200.
If you have a neighbor that is interacting with bears or
other wildlife in unsafe ways – feeding, shooting, or other wildlife
violations, call (888) 404-3922 to report them.
For more tips and our sources, here are resources from
FWC and BearWise®:
Living in
Bear Country brochure
Rules and
Regulations regarding bears in Florida
Keeping
pets safe from wildlife
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| Bear Infographic courtesy of FWC, 2021 |
