A guide to living in bear country Ashley Hockenberry
Ashley Hockenberry If you are in Florida, you should know Florida s black bear population has recovered from historically low numbers in most areas of the state, while at the same time the number of people has increased in and around where bears live. As a result, bears and people encounter each other more than ever. Keeping bears wild and away from the places where people live and work is a responsibility we all share to ensure they remain a valued part of Florida s natural heritage. Living in bear country provides rewarding opportunities for residents and visitors to view Florida s largest land mammal. Observe them from a distance, as a bear near your home or workplace is usually just passing through. However, if you experience human-bear conflicts, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) can assist you.
Bear-related calls to the FWC increased from about 1,000 in 2001 to more than 6,000 in 2013, with most people reporting bears in their yards or getting into garbage. Human-bear conflicts are preventable. Most conflicts result from people feeding bears either intentionally or unintentionally, even though feeding is illegal in Florida. Bears are attracted to neighborhoods that allow access to food sources such as garbage, pet food and birdseed and will quickly learn to associate homes and businesses with getting an easy meal. This behavior becomes more evident in fall, when bears eat up to 20,000 calories a day to bulk up for winter. Bears that become too comfortable around people are more likely to be killed by collisions with vehicles, by someone taking an illegal action or by FWC to address a public safety risk. Ashley Hockenberry
It is illegal to intentionally place food or garbage out that attracts bears and causes conflicts. Anything that attracts dogs, cats or raccoons also will attract bears! The bear facts Black bears are the only species of bear in Florida and once roamed the entire state. n FWC biologists estimate at least 3,000 black bears roam Florida today, compared to as few as 300 bears in the 1970s. n Florida bears generally have black fur with a brown muzzle and sometimes a white chest patch called a blaze. n Adult black bears typically weigh between 150 to 400 pounds, with males often twice the size of females. n Female bears have their first litter at about 3 1 /2 years old and usually have one to three cubs every other year. n In Florida, bear breeding season runs from June to August, with cubs born in late January or early February. n Bears have the best sense of smell of any land mammal, seven times better than a bloodhound. n 80% of a black bear s diet comes from plants such as fruits, nuts and berries, 15% from insects like termites, ants and bees, and 5% from meat such as opossums, armadillos and carrion. For more bear facts, visit MyFWC.com/bear. Learn more about bears with the Florida Black Bear Curriculum Guide. The guide is designed for teachers and students in grades 3 to 8 and offers a comprehensive series of lessons on Florida s black bears. Visit www.blackbearinfo.com for more information.
Charles Towne Why not relocate bears? Unfortunately, relocation often moves the problem to another area rather than resolving it. In Florida, it is rare to find public lands large and remote enough where bears can be moved without coming in contact with people. Relocated bears typically leave the new area to return to their original home or because the new habitat is already occupied by other bears. The result can be bears wandering through unfamiliar areas and crossing busy roads, which creates a danger to motorists and bears. In addition, bears that remain in the relocation area often exhibit the same unwanted behavior they did before, so relocation may shift the problem to a new place. For all these reasons, relocation is neither a desirable nor effective way to solve human-bear conflicts. The FWC is committed to providing effective solutions to conflicts that address the safety concerns of residents and visitors and the long-term well-being of bears. Bear behavior and you Black bears are shy animals and generally not aggressive towards people. When bears are frightened they run away or climb a tree. If a bear is in a tree in your neighborhood, it is either feeding or trying to escape danger. Keep people and pets away, and the bear will come down and leave on its own when it feels safe, usually after dark. When a bear stands on its
hind legs, it is only trying to get a better view or scent, rather than acting in a threatening manner. Black bears may huff, snap their jaws, swat the ground or bluff charge when cornered, threatened or defending food or young. If this happens, stop, hold your ground and then slowly back away. But always remember to respect bears they are large, powerful, wild animals that can act unpredictably and become dangerous. Bears used to getting food from people may lose their natural fear of human contact and are more likely to damage property or become a public safety threat. Do not intentionally feed or attract bears. If a bear is eating something on your property, take note of what it is and secure it after the bear has left the area. Here are some tips on how to remain safe around black bears and reinforce their natural fear of people: n Never approach or surprise a bear. Keep as much distance between you and the bear as possible. n If a bear changes its behavior because of your presence, you are too close. n When walking dogs, keep them close and be aware of your surroundings. Dogs can trigger defensive behaviors from bears. n Report any bear threatening the safety of humans, pets or livestock, or causing property damage to the FWC (see back cover). n If you encounter a bear at close range, remain standing upright with arms raised, back up slowly and speak to the bear in a calm, assertive voice. Carry bear spray and learn how to use it properly, factoring in wind direction, distance to bear (20-30 ft.) and your escape route. Make sure you buy one that is specific for use on bears.
n Do not turn your back, play dead or run from a black bear. Back away slowly into a secure area such as a house, car or building. n Make sure you are in a secure area and the bear has a clear escape route, then yell loudly, bang pots and pans, blow a whistle, or use an air horn or car horn to scare the bear away. n Install a motion-activated device, such as flood lights, a water sprinkler like the Water Scarecrow or audio alarm like the Critter Gitter, to scare a bear away from a location when you are not present. Warning! It is illegal to kill, possess, injure, shoot, wound, trap, collect or sell black bears under Florida state law. If you are found guilty, you could face fines and/or jail time. Rick Sinnott, ADFG Discouraging bears from visiting your home Bears do not linger in neighborhoods if they do not find food. Properly storing or securing garbage and other attractants is a proven method of preventing bear conflicts around homes, neighborhoods and businesses. However, it takes a community-wide effort to keep bears wild and away from people. These items will attract bears:
n Unsecured trash and recycling containers n Bird and squirrel feeders with items like seed, suet and peanuts Milt Fox n Wildlife feeders n Pet food and bowls n Barbeque grills and smokers n Pets and small livestock such as chickens, goats, pigs and rabbits n Livestock feed like corn and grain n Compost piles n Beehives n Fruit and nut-bearing trees and shrubs n Outdoor freezers, refrigerators or coolers
Securing garbage: n Store garbage and recyclables in bear-resistant containers or in a secure area, such as a sturdy shed or garage, until the morning of pickup, or n Build a small shed to store trash cans. Be sure there are no gaps along the shed s edges and use screws instead of nails. If the shed is curbside, call your waste service provider to ensure they will service trash cans from a shed, or n Retrofit your regular trash can to make it more bear-resistant by adding hardware. For a retrofit to be successful, the lid must not be flexible and the can must not collapse when you stand on its side. Call your waste service provider to ensure they will service a retrofitted trash can, or n Request a commercially manufactured bearresistant trash can from your waste service provider. If they do not provide these cans, you can special order one from a hardware store, but ensure your waste service provider will service it. Securing other bear attractants: n Feed pets indoors or bring food dishes (even empty ones) inside before dark. n Store pet and livestock feed in bear-resistant containers or inside a secure area. n Remove or modify bird and wildlife feeders. Ensure the ground is free of all feed and debris. n Keep gardens and fruiting trees and shrubs tidy. Remove rotten fruit and harvest ripe nuts, fruits and vegetables.
n Use electric fencing to protect gardens, garbage, compost piles, apiaries, fruit trees and livestock. n Place a plywood sheet with finishing nails heads up (basically an Unwelcome Mat) to keep bears away from a specific area such as under a window or door, along a patio edge or an opening in a fence. n Keep outdoor refrigerators and freezers in a secure location or lock up with super-adhesive anchors, like Marine Locks. n Clean meat smokers and barbeque grills with a degreasing detergent and store in a secure area. Properly dispose of any food remnants after each use. NOTE: Screened porches are not secure from bears.
Dave Parkinson Visit MyFWC.com/Bear for tips on how to secure bear attractants, videos about bears and how to install electric fencing and to learn more about bear-resistant containers. Funds from Florida s Conserve Wildlife license plate help conserve bears and reduce human-bear conflicts. Buy one today at your local tax collector s office or online at BuyAPlate.com.
Where bears live in Florida If you are experiencing bear conflicts, please contact the nearest FWC regional office. North Central Lake City 386-758-0525 Northeast Ocala 352-732-1225 Northwest Panama City 850-265-3676 South West Palm Beach 561-625-5122 Southwest Lakeland 863-648-3200 If you suspect illegal activity, call FWC s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922). Follow us on: printed on recycled paper MyFWC.com/Bear 3/2014
In a Bear s Quest for Calories In the late summer and early fall, bears are driven to consume as many calories as possible in preparation for denning through the hungry winter months. Bears that eat 5,000 calories a day may increase to 20,000 calories a day during this period. The diet of the average black bear is normally 80 percent vegetable, 15 percent insect, and 5 percent small animals, reptiles and eggs. However, living around humans, bears have developed a taste for people's garbage because it is often higher in calories than their natural food sources. In the table below, common types of human foods are contrasted with how many acorns a bear would have to eat to get the same amount of calories. RRi iicckk SSi ii nnnnoot ttt AADDFFGG Menu Item Calories Equivalent number of acorns Hummingbird nectar (16 oz) 385 101 Eggs (1 dozen) 888 234 Bananas (6 med) 920 242 Honey (1 cup) 1,031 272 Bread (1 loaf) 1,280 337 Fish, clams & oysters (1 lb) 1,314 346 Hot dogs (1 lb) 1,456 384 McDonald s double cheeseburger combo 1,620 427 Black oil sunflower seeds (1 lb) 1,740 458 Pecans (1 lb) 1,766 465 KFC Fried Chicken combo 1,770 467 Crackers (1 box) 2,037 536 Hickory nuts (1 lb) 2,051 540 Huckleberries (1 lb) 2,105 554 Watermelon (10 whole) 2,464 649 Bacon (1 lb) 2,532 666 Potato chips (1 lb) 2,560 674 Jelly donuts (1 doz) 2,640 695 Chocolate chip cookies (1 lb) 3,200 843 Chocolate cake (18 oz) 4,370 1,150 Dry feed corn (1 lb) 4,580 1,206 Peanut Butter (28 oz) 4,750 1,250 Vanilla Ice cream (1 gallon) 4,960 1,305 Pepperoni Pizza (1 large) 8,500 2,223 Birdseed (7 lbs) 12,180 3,206 Grease/Shortening (3 lb) 12,430 3,271 Purina dog chow (25 lb) 42,425 11,165
Please Don't Feed Bears Feeding bears, either by direct handouts or by leaving attractants such as garbage and pet food unsecured, is against the law and causes bear problems. It s bad for bears and bad for people. What attracts bears? Food and food smells (barbecue grills, compost piles) Garbage left outside and unsecure Pet foods or wildlife feed left outside and unsecure Remember: Any food source that attracts dogs, cats or raccoons will attract bears. Did you know? Bears can smell food from more than a mile away and if they are rewarded with an easy meal, they learn quickly to return to the area. Curious bears that are not rewarded with an easy meal such as garbage or pet foods will look for food away from houses. Bears that become used to getting human foods may damage property or become a threat to public safety. These bears often must be killed. To help avoid these problems, please don t provide food for bears. Feeding bears is against Florida law F.A.C. 68A-4.001(3). Intentionally placing food or garbage, allowing the placement of food or garbage, or offering food or garbage in such a manner that it attracts black bears, foxes or raccoons and in a manner that is likely to create or creates a public nuisance is prohibited. If convicted of feeding bears, you could face up to 60 days in jail, up to $500 in fines or both. What can you do to prevent bear problems? Store trash in a secure area until morning of pickup Bring pet food inside, store securely Protect gardens, compost and livestock with electric fencing Clean grills and store them in a secure area Remove wildlife feeders if there is a bear in the area If you experience bear problems, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at (561)625-5122. For more information go to MyFWC.com/bear.