ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A black bear was spotted in the heart of St. Augustine early Tuesday morning.
According to WKMG news partner WJXT, the St. Augustine Police Department posted a short video of the bear that someone captured, showing it climbing over a wall on St. George Street near Aunt Matilda’s Steampunk Trunk, about a block north of the Plaza de la Constitucion.
One witness said he saw the bear running across the street near King Street heading into Lincolnville.
“I was thinking this is more like something that I would see up north,” said Tony Strong, “I’ve never seen a black bear. I’m a Floridian, and I’ve never, ever seen a black bear. And I’m from Middleberg, and I have a lot of woods from out there, and you don’t see them.”
Strong pointed out that it’s not all that surprising to see bears getting closer to people.
“We’re tearing up their community where they live at, and now they’re going to the community. So they need to do something about that,” Strong said. “Everybody needs to be careful because they can pop up anywhere.”
The SAPD social media post said law enforcement was on scene with the bear in a secluded area south of Lincolnville.
“Please use caution if you encounter this bear!” the post read. “It’s important to keep a respectful distance and never run. Black bears prefer to avoid people and will usually move on quickly.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the agriculture department are assisting the St. Augustine police with removing the bear.
They said the bear is not a threat to the community but serves as a reminder to be vigilant.
During the spring, FWC says black bears are more active in Florida. You can read more information below:
To reduce human-bear conflicts, the FWC’s Bear Management Program recommends removing or securing all food attractants from around your house and yard, including garbage, pet food and bird seed. If a bear is not able to find food, it will move on.
Feeding bears can make them lose their natural fear of people. Dogs can trigger defensive behaviors from bears, including female bears with cubs. To avoid an encounter between a bear and your dog, bang on your door and flip your house lights on and off to give the bear and other wildlife time to leave the area before letting your dog out.
If you do not have a fenced yard, keep your dog on a short non-retractable leash when taking them outside. If your dog and a bear get into a fight, make noise and use bear spray or a water hose to break them up if available. If the bear makes contact with you, fight back aggressively.
To learn more about bears and how to avoid conflicts with them, visit this FWC page, or click here for the BearWife program.
Please contact the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) if you feel threatened by a bear; observe a sick, injured, dead or orphaned bear; or to report someone who is either harming bears or intentionally feeding them.
Here are some other BearWise® Basics to keep in mind:
- Never feed or approach bears
- Remove bird feeders when bears are active
- Feed your pets inside if possible and never leave pet food outdoors
- Clean and store your grills and smokers
- Secure food, garbage and recycling
- Alert your neighbors to bear activity in the area
Live in bear country? Follow this at-home checklist. And remember, a screened-in porch or deck counts as “outside” to a hungry black bear.