Florida House of Representatives Representative Doug Broxson District 3

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1 Florida House of Representatives Representative Doug Broxson District 3 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Reeves June 15, 2016 (850) Rep. Doug Broxson and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Officials Plan Workshop on Bears in Santa Rosa County MIDWAY Due to the continued rise in bear encounters in Santa Rosa County, Representative Doug Broxson (R Midway) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) are hosting a public workshop for area residents to learn how to prevent bear activity around their homes and property. With the black bear population in Florida expanding and growing after the animals nearly disappeared in the 1970s people are encountering them more and more. The FWC has reported a dramatic increase in human-bear conflicts in Santa Rosa County. Representative Broxson stated, The presence of bears in residential areas is still on the rise. We must address the safety and property damage concerns of residents by reducing human-bear encounters through FWC teaching citizens proactive measures such as securing attractants like garbage and pet food, spreading awareness, and reporting bear activity. While black bears are rarely aggressive toward people, they can become bold when they grow accustomed to feeding on human-provided foods, such as pet foods, garbage, and bird seed. When this happens, black bears associate people with food and can lose their fear of humans. By learning how to eliminate food availability, most human-bear conflicts can be prevented. Officials from the FWC will answer questions and discuss preventative measures homeowners can take to reduce the likelihood of a bear encounter. The details of the meeting are listed below. Tuesday, June 28, 5:30 p.m. First Baptist Church Navarre Fellowship Hall 9302 Navarre Parkway Navarre, FL # # #

2 YOU LIVE IN BEAR COUNTRY Black bears are an important part of Florida s natural heritage. Keeping bears wild and away from human use areas is a responsibility we all must share. FWC is dedicated to reducing conflicts between people and bears in your community. Black bears are naturally shy, timid animals that try to avoid people. However, as human development expands, it becomes increasingly difficult for bears to avoid people. Why are bears in your neighborhood? Bears are lured into neighborhoods when they find an easily accessible food source. Bears that become used to getting human foods may damage property or become a threat to public safety. Common items that attract bears into neighborhoods include: Garbage Food smells from barbecue grills, coolers, and outdoor freezers/refrigerators Animal feed (e.g., pet food, corn, grain, seed, bird seed, livestock feed) Gardens, compost piles, small or medium livestock (e.g., chickens, goats, pigs, rabbits) Feeding bears, either by direct handouts or by leaving attractants such as garbage and pet food unsecured, causes bear conflicts and is against the law. Florida Administrative Code 68A-4.001(4): (a) Intentionally feeding bears is prohibited except as provided for in this Title. (b) Placing food or garbage, allowing the placement of food or garbage, or offering food or garbage that attracts bears and is likely to create or creates a nuisance is prohibited after receiving prior written notification from the Commission. If you see a bear in your community Remain calm and stay away from the bear. The mere presence of a black bear does not represent a problem. The bear is most likely just passing through and will not linger or return if it does not find a reward such as food. A bear may climb a tree to look for food or if it gets scared. Clear the area of people and pets and allow the bear to come down when it feels safe (usually after dark). The bear found its way into the area and it can find its way out. If you encounter a bear at close range DO NOT play dead or run from the bear Back away slowly with arms raised Avoid direct eye contact Speak in a calm and assertive voice If you experience bear problems, please contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regional office nearest you. For more information, go to MyFWC.com/Bear.

3 What can you do about a bear near your home? Secure Your Attractants The best way to avoid conflicts with bears is to secure anything that might attract a curious bear. The following suggestions may prevent bears from being attracted to and lingering in your neighborhood. Store your trashcan in a secure area, such as a sturdy shed or garage, and put it out on the MORNING of garbage pickup, NOT the night before. Get a commercially-manufactured bear-resistant trashcan that has been reinforced with metal and a push-to-open latching system. o If you do not have trash service, you can buy bear-resistant trashcans from several online retailers, including Ace Hardware, Lowe s, and Home Depot. o If you have trash service, ask for a bear-resistant trashcan. If they will not provide them, call your local government official. Enough citizens have taken action in some counties that they now have bear-resistant trashcans. Build a small shed to store your trashcans. Important elements are to leave no gaps along edges and use screws instead of nails.* Call your waste service provider to ensure they will service trashcans from a shed. Attach hardware to your regular trashcan to make it more bear-resistant.* For a retrofit to be successful, the lid must not be flexible, and the can should not collapse when you stand on its side. Call your waste service provider for permission to retrofit your trashcan. Clean grills and store them in a secure location, such as a sturdy shed or garage. Feed pets indoors or promptly remove leftover pet food and bowls for pets fed outside. Store animal food in a secure area; remove or modify* wildlife feeders when bears are in the area. Protect gardens, compost piles, and livestock with electric fencing.* Secure outdoor refrigerators and freezers with marine locks. *Instructions and more information available at MyFWC.com/Bear

4 Bear-related calls to the FWC increased from about 1,000 in 2001 to almost 7,000 in 2014, 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. It is illegal to 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. FWC biologists estimate approximately 4,350 black bears roam Florida today, compared to as few as 300 bears in the 1970s. Florida bears generally have black fur with a tan muzzle and sometimes a white chest patch called a blaze. Adult black bears typically weigh between 150 to 400 pounds, with males often twice the size of females. Female bears have their first litter at about 3 1/2 years old and usually have one to three cubs every other year. Ashley Hockenberry In Florida, bear breeding season runs from June to August, with cubs born in late January or early February. Bears typically range over a large area; 15 square miles for females and 62 square miles for males. If you are in Florida, you should know Bears have the best sense of smell of any land mammal, seven times better than a bloodhound. 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. 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. For more bear facts, visit MyFWC.com/Bear. Ashley Hockenberry 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. 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 for more information. printed on recycled paper 4/2016 Ashley Hockenberry Funds from Florida s Conserve Wildlife license plate help conserve bears and reduce humanbear conflicts. Buy one today at your local tax collector s office or online at BuyAPlate.com. Follow us on: If you suspect illegal activity, call FWC s Wildlife Alert Hotline at FWCC (3922). North Central Lake City (386) Northeast Ocala (352) Northwest Panama City (850) South West Palm Beach (561) Southwest Lakeland (863) If you are experiencing bear conflicts, please contact the nearest FWC regional office. 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. bear country A guide to living in Where bears live in Florida

5 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. 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. Charles Towne Warning! It is illegal to take, possess, injure, shoot, collect or sell black bears under Florida state law unless authorized by Commission issued permit. If you are found guilty, you could face fines and/or jail time. Securing garbage: Store garbage and unwashed recyclables in bearresistant containers or in a secure area, such as a sturdy shed or garage, until the morning of pickup, or 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 Why not relocate bears? Unfortunately, relocation typically does not resolve human-bear conflicts. 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, relocated bears very often exhibit the same unwanted behavior they did before, so relocation may just shift the problem to a new place. For all these reasons, relocation is neither a desirable nor effective way to solve human-bear conflicts. 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. 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. NEVER 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. Rick Sinnott, ADFG 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. 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 Discouraging bears from visiting your home Securing other bear attractants: Use electric fencing to protect gardens, garbage, compost piles, apiaries, fruit trees and livestock. 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: Unsecured trash and unwashed recycling containers Bird and squirrel feeders with items like seed, suet and peanuts Feed pets indoors or bring food dishes (even empty ones) inside before dark. Store pet and livestock feed in bear-resistant containers or inside a secure area. Here are some tips on how to be Bear Wise, remain safe around black bears and reinforce their natural fear of people: Remove or modify bird and wildlife feeders and ensure the ground is free of all feed and debris. Keep gardens and fruiting trees and shrubs tidy. Remove rotten fruit and harvest ripe nuts, fruits and vegetables. Never approach a bear. Keep as much distance between you and the bear as possible. If a bear changes its behavior because of your presence, you are too close. 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. 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. Milt Fox When walking dogs, keep them close and be aware of your surroundings. Dogs can trigger defensive behaviors from bears. Report any bear threatening the safety of people, pets or livestock, or causing property damage to the FWC (see back cover). Request a commercially manufactured bear-resistant 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. 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. Wildlife feeders Pet food and bowls Barbeque grills and smokers Small animals such as chickens, goats, pigs and rabbits Animal feed like corn, grain and pet food Composting unsuitable materials Beehives Fruit and nut-bearing trees and shrubs 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 to buy spray specific for use on bears. Unsecured outdoor freezers, refrigerators or coolers Keep outdoor refrigerators and freezers in a secure location or lock up with super-adhesive anchors, like Marine Locks. 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.

6 Tired of Bears Getting into your Garbage? GET A BEAR-RESISTANT CAN! The trash can looks just like the one you have now, but has been reinforced with a push-to-open latching system making it bear- proof, guaranteed. Citizens in several Florida counties requested bearresistant cans and their waste service provider now offers them in these areas. Make your voice heard! Call your waste service provider and local government officials to ask for bear-resistant cans. If enough citizens take action, these cans may be offered in your area. OTHER OPTIONS TO SECURE TRASH: Must receive permission from your waste service provider before special ordering at Home Depot, True Value, or Lowe s. - Build a garbage shed (caddy) - Install a motion-activated alarm (e.g., Critter Gitter*) - Screwtop garbage cans - Use electric fencing - Retro-fit existing garbage cans - Install a motion-activated sprinkler (e.g.,water Scarecrow*) For more information on these and other methods, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Regional Office nearest you or visit MyFWC.com/bear. *Available at most online retailers Must receive permission from your waste service provider before curbside use