Santa Rosa hosting workshop on bears in residential areas

I thought this was interesting as I've always been interested in Florida's black bears. My wish is to see one in the wild one day.



In Santa Rosa County, bears don’t just live in the deep woods anymore.

“Years ago, we would have a bear that would leave Eglin Air Force Base and he might be seen in East Milton and south of the interstate, but then it might be days, weeks or months before that bear was seen again,” said Stan Kirkland, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife and Conservation Commission.

“Their core habitat was on the base. There was little interaction with people. They are now living and reproducing in places well outside of the base.”

And that could mean your neighborhood, especially if you live in southern Santa Rosa County.



Santa Rosa black bears

They roam the neighborhoods in Navarre on a regular basis, scavenging for food in garbage cans.. Some have been seen in Gulf Breeze...around Publix's and the neighborhood around Publix's.

It's about that time of the year for the males to start wandering everywhere, looking for love in all the wrong places.

That's right. Spring is when you can see more of the bears.

Joani, have you ever seen a bear around where you live?

The real meeting should be about the problem ...

of humans

in bear residential areas.

AuntieChrist wrote:

That's right. Spring is when you can see more of the bears.

Joani, have you ever seen a bear around where you live?

No, but I heard all about it on the scanner.... the one around Publix's was wandering around St. Ann's nursery and the nursery around the corner. Fish and Wild Life said to leave the bear alone and he would go away....well 5 hours later the bear was still at the nursery in the play yard. the police were having fits with everyone calling. Fish and Wild life finally came and caught the bear and took it to Eglin.

It is upsetting that the bear was allowed to roam the area where small children are for so long. It took multiple complaints before Fish and Wildlife did what they should have done when the bear was first spotted.

I remember reading about a bear that swam the Sound and was roaming the East end of Pensacola Beach.

I recall reading about that too. I remember it was in the springtime and all of these people were seeing bears everywhere. This was many years ago. Maybe 7 or so (guessing)?

AuntieChrist wrote:

I recall reading about that too. I remember it was in the springtime and all of these people were seeing bears everywhere. This was many years ago. Maybe 7 or so (guessing)?

Yes he wound up i think in my neighborhood bayshore drive he came by my house helicopters spotting him. They darted him thank god he did not get onto barrancas.

I think this one swam the sound and the bay very fit bear!

Eric wrote:

I remember reading about a bear that swam the Sound and was roaming the East end of Pensacola Beach.

Now that one i did see in East Bay.

What is the most frightening about all these bears in residential areas is the large group of people who feel we have a right to arm bears.

A four hundred pound bear is an awesome problem in itself, but what if he is packing? Carrying an assault rifle with a 30 round magazines looking for some payback.

And you can bet he won't submit to a background check.

I never thought that Bobby Bare was that dangerous.

SheSurfs wrote:

The real meeting should be about the problem ...

of humans

in bear residential areas.

yelladawg wrote:

What is the most frightening about all these bears in residential areas is the large group of people who feel we have a right to arm bears.

A four hundred pound bear is an awesome problem in itself, but what if he is packing? Carrying an assault rifle with a 30 round magazines looking for some payback.

And you can bet he won't submit to a background check.

The right to arm bears......groan.....good one, Yella!!!!

I remember about 15 years ago my mother and stepfather were driving on I-10 west in Alabama, east of Mobile near Styx River, when my mother said she saw a dead bear on the side of the road who'd been hit by a car.

Anyone remember that bear out at Pine Forest a couple of years ago? I wonder how it got there - from what area did it come?

If you are interested, there is quite a nice population of bears in Mississippi which I was not aware of. There is a map on this PDF that shows bear sightings in the state.


http://www.mdwfp.com/media/7778/factfiction.pdf?iframe


I thought it was interesting reading about the 2 species of bears found there.
Take a look if you're interested.

We came pretty face to face on the AT once. No quick moves if you have food put it down and SLOWLY retreat and off to the side. Don't turn your back.

Awesome creatures, smell bad though.....

AuntieChrist wrote:

If you are interested, there is quite a nice population of bears in Mississippi which I was not aware of. There is a map on this PDF that shows bear sightings in the state.


http://www.mdwfp.com/media/7778/factfiction.pdf?iframe


I thought it was interesting reading about the 2 species of bears found there.
Take a look if you're interested.

Interesting article, Auntie. Thanks!