Defenders' Experts
Bear Your Responsibility
"Bear Your Responsibility" means that Floridians need to be aware that human sources of food attracts bears and conditions them to lose their fear of people. If you live in bear country take common - sense precautions, like you would for any other potential problem, to keep bears away and prevent property damage.
As Florida residents, we all have a responsibility for keeping wildlife wild.
Here are some easy ways to protect yourself and protect our bears:
- Keep human attractants away from bears, especially garbage
- Keep trash in bear proof areas
- Do not put trash out until the morning of pickup
- Use "bear proof" garbage containers or electric fencing
- Do not feed pets outdoors
- Remove uneaten pet food immediately after feeding
- Bear-proof gardens and compost
- Remove wildlife feeders for a week or two if they are hit by bears
- Clean BBQ grills or keep them in bear proof areas
Benefit of Living with Bears
There are benefits to living in harmony with bears. The bear’s presence indicates the health of our natural environment, and all of us depend on good quality ecosystems. Natural areas that support bears are home for many other animal species. In addition, steps taken to prevent bears from becoming nuisance animals also prevents other species from becoming problems (e.g. raccoons, skunks, fox, opossums, mice and rats), and decreases damage to crops and property as well as human and pet exposure to diseases carried by some of those animals (e.g. rabies).
Nuisance Bears
Nuisance bears are created by common mistakes that homeowners, campers and hikers innocently or unknowingly make. Intentional and unintentional feeding of bears is the number one source of the problem. Intentional feeding of bears in Florida is illegal.
Bear Facts
Bears do not recognize public land boundaries, and roam throughout forests and agricultural areas in Florida. Bears are attracted to residential areas and camp sites because they investigate food odors, and are attracted to many different foods such as garbage, bird seed, squirrel feed, pet foods, compost piles, and grease and juices on barbecue grills. Once a bear receives such a "reward," it may return to the same area several times (even after food is removed) or search around the general area for similar foods.
Some bears become fairly tolerant of humans and may even appear tame. However, bears are large (150 to 500 lbs) wild animals and are unpredictable. Therefore, if Floridians live or are moving into bear habitat, they need to learn to be proactive. Removing the source of attraction before problems occur and knowing what to do should conflicts arise is essential.
The Bear Your Responsibility Campaign (link to Bear Your Responsibility Campaign below) is a partnership of Defenders of Wildlife, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Wildlife Foundation of Florida. The Florida Wildlife Commission has bear agents who can assist people who are experiencing problems with bears (www.MyFWC.com or 850-488-1960).
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