A man was arrested on unrelated charges after shooting a bear in Lake County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Florida’s first bear hunt in a decade drew more than 160,000 applicants for just 172 permits.

Bear harvest permit applications for this year’s season are set open this week, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The FWC’s plan would issue permits for hunting within bear management units that have at least 200 bears. Activists believe education is a better approach to prevent negative interactions between bears and humans.

A black bear was killed along Interstate 4 early Friday morning, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

As state wildlife officers continue their search for a black bear that found itself on I-4 in the Orlando area, conservationists say it's no surprise that more bears and humans are interacting across Florida.

“I just hope the bear is OK. Cars can be replaced,” the driver told News 6.

A Florida black bear found itself in a dangerous situation Tuesday morning — along the I-4 Express lanes in Orlando.

A black bear was caught on camera soaking in a Punta Gorda hot tub.

According to wildlife officials, the bear was first spotted behind a house on County Road 647 South in Sumter County. The Bear Management Program worked quickly to set up traps in the area.

Wildlife officials are closing in on a decision to reinstate a regulated bear hunt in Florida.

A man and a dog died in a suspected bear attack, according to Florida wildlife officials.

Kristen Savage says she was walking her dog Friday night when she came face-to-face with a black bear.

Florida wildlife officials are holding more online meetings this week about the possibility of a return to bear hunting in the state.

After spending several hours perched in a tree near Markham Woods Middle School, a black bear climbed down shortly before 5:30 p.m. Monday and wandered toward the woods adjacent to the school.

An examination of the dog found dead along with actor Gene Hackman and his wife in their Santa Fe home shows dehydration and starvation were likely what led to the animal's demise.

Authorities in Virginia investigate a bizarre death.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Wednesday directed officials to bring forward proposals for a possible bear hunt. The proposals are expected to be completed by a May commission meeting, giving staff members time to compile data from ongoing studies about bear populations and gather more public input.

A man shot and killed a bear while walking his dog in Marion County, according to Florida wildlife officials.

A teacher has quite the story to share with her students when they go back to school.

News 6 viewer Wade Lanier sent us a photo of a black bear sitting in a tree not far from Ocoee.

You've got to watch this video to believe it.

A Florida woman received a very "bear-y" surprise on Valentine's Day.

An Okaloosa County deputy located a pair of Kodiak bears while responding to a call about them in December.

The 37-year-old mother was last seen by her kids Saturday night.

That's no costume.

Wildlife officials say management efforts have been working when it comes to bear encounters in Seminole County.

A Disney vacation is over for a bear that was in a tree Monday morning at a Walt Disney World park.

A three-legged bear was caught on camera stealing White Claw alcoholic seltzers from a Lake Mary family’s outdoor fridge.

Idalia has moved away from Florida, but the storm continues to batter the Carolina coast.

A man suffered a head injury after falling during an encounter with bear in the Alaqua Lakes neighborhood on Tuesday evening, according to Seminole County Fire Rescue.

Ocala resident Monica Howard spotted this dispersing juvenile bear rummaging through her trash recently.

Three words a crowd of Florida beach goers didn’t expect to hear during their Sunday in the sun… “It’s a bear!”

A bear spotted in a tree at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando has been safely captured.

A young black bear recently spotted in College Park was struck and killed by a car, the FWC says.

A bear is hanging out in a tree in the College Park neighborhood of Orlando, and police are asking residents to avoid the area.

A Connecticut homeowner got quite the shock when he recently returned home. An unwanted visitor, in the form of a black bear, was roaming inside his West Hartford home.

A Sanford man caught a very large bear raiding a refrigerator in his garage Saturday afternoon.

A Connecticut man is safe, but his mother-in-law's car is destroyed after a unique run-in with a bear over the weekend.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is searching for a black bear that attacked a man at a Daytona Beach home.

A woman was attacked by a black bear in DeBary.

A bear was spotted on the campus of UCF, prompting police to issue a warning.

A black bear seen wandering in downtown Naples has eluded wildlife officials even as sightings of the animal continue.

MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A 42-year-old Ocala man and a bear were killed late Thursday in a motorcycle crash in Marion County, the Florida Highway Patrol said. The fatal wreck was reported at 11:02 p.m. on State Road 40 at State Road 19 near the Ocala National Forest. 40 when he struck the bear, which was in the westbound lane of the road. The bike overturned, ejecting the man, who was taken to a hospital and later died, according to an FHP report. AdThe bear also died, troopers said.

This was a wake-up call to remember for one guy in Massachusetts this weekend. Matt Bete was enjoying a little pool-side nap when a bear came walking up. The gate was left open, so it seems the bear thought it was the perfect time to see if the water was too hot, too cold or just right. Then he walks over to Bete, sniffs around a little and starts smelling his foot and nudges him awake. And then, you can see the bear slowly walks back toward Bete for one more quick peek before he runs off for good.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Black bears, once a threatened species in Florida, will get stiffened protections against poachers, some of whom see the animals resurgence as a growing nuisance. Ron DeSantis agreed to increase the penalties against illegal bear hunting to further deter hunters from killing the once-imperiled creatures. The black bear population dwindled to the low hundreds back in the 1970s, but has since come roaring back with more than 4,000 of the creatures now roaming the state. In fact, the penalties for killing turkey and deer out of season is currently more severe than killing a bear. The rise in the black bear population — coupled with the rising numbers of humans in Florida — have led to friction, as bears and people encroach on each other’s turf.

APOPKA, Fla. – A black bear that moseyed itself into an Apopka wildlife facility over the weekend has drawn a lot of attention. Workers at The C.A.R.E Foundation said they spotted the cub Saturday in a tree above a tiger enclosure. Has the bear come down yet?” said Kevin Rose, a senior volunteer at the exotic animal rescue center. The bear can’t fall into the tiger enclosure, so we’ve been told to just leave it be and eventually it will come down,” Rose said. “To be up a tree with a tiger underneath you probably isn’t the most calming effect, I guess,” Rose said.