BLACK BEAR

Newly released video shows state wildlife officials trying to capture a black bear that wandered into the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World last month, an incident that forced the temporary closure of several rides.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will not file charges against a Seminole County man who shot at a bear earlier this month because the man says he feared for his life.

A bear and a coyote recently took a walk together along a trail. Here's why wildlife officials think they were spotted together.

ASTOR, Fla. – After a black bear was found shot and killed behind a home in Lake County, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has doubled the reward for information leading to an arrest. Black bear killed In AstorAccording to the FWC, black bears are protected by law and it is illegal to kill a bear without a hunting or depredation permit. There is one exception to the rule, which allows a person to kill a black bear if it is to protect human life. ”A viable alternative to shooting a bear perceived as a threat is through the use of bear spray,” officials said. The use of paintballs, bear spray and sling shots are also allowed under FWC guidelines.

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.