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FWC Gives Final Approval To Black Bear Plan
June 28, 2012
A plan for long-term conservation of the Florida black bear was approved Wednesday by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission,
“The Florida bear population is thriving. That is the success story, but we still have a lot of education to do,” FWC Commission Chairman Kathy Barco said. “Everyone loves bears, but not everyone wants them in their backyard. When people call to say, ‘Relocate this bear,’ we need to say to that neighborhood at some point you’ve got to live with it – take care of your garbage, dog food and bird feeders.”
The seven bear management units created in the Florida Black Bear Management Plan provide opportunities for public participation in decisions on managing local bear populations and reducing human-bear conflicts such as the one that occurred recently at a Cantonment apartment complex. That conflict ended with the FWC choosing to euthanize the bear.
“If we all work together to promote these protections, we can expand upon this great day today,” said FWC Commissioner Ron Bergeron.
Challenges addressed by the Black Bear Management Plan include:
- Maintaining wildlife habitats and corridors on public and private lands that accommodate bears’ large home ranges of up to 60,000 acres and allow bears to roam safely.
- Reducing human-bear conflicts, through use of bear-proof cans for garbage and proper storage of birdseed and pet food, which can be irresistibly mouthwatering treats for bears.
- Educating Floridians and visitors about black bear behavior and conservation, and how to remain safe if a bear comes into a yard or during a bear encounter.
The state’s largest land mammal is a subspecies of the American black bear and had been listed as a state-threatened species since 1974. Successful conservation of the Florida black bear was confirmed by the FWC’s 2011 Biological Status Review, which reported the bear to be no longer at high risk of extinction.
While Commissioners Wednesday passed a rule to remove the black bear from the list of state-threatened species, they also adopted a separate, new rule stating it is still illegal to injure or kill a bear in this state, or to possess or sell bear parts.
Pictured: A black bear wondered through a Cantonment apartment complex for days last month until it was captured and euthanized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
3 Responses to “FWC Gives Final Approval To Black Bear Plan”
The biggest benefit to FWC going to the trouble to put this plan together, and remove the Florida Black Bear from the Threatened Species List is… the penalty for shooting problem black bears in your backyard is now much lower!!!
Not to mention, if you call and complain frequently enough to the FWC, they will consider a black bear hunting season sooner or later so you will quit calling. The only one of the 7 regions they are discussing a limited season in at this point in time, is the one that calls in the most complaints… Ocala National Forrest.
So get on the phone and make lots of noise, if you want a hunting season to remove nuisance bears.
AMEN!
At least the gone bear’s death was not in vain, now there are protocols in place.