Love is in the air for Florida black bears.

Breeding season for bears runs from June to July, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding homeowners that bears are moving around, foraging for food and looking for mates.

According to FWC bear management program coordinator Dave Telesco, the agency is seeing an increase in calls about bears in neighborhoods around the state. The animals are lured into neighborhoods to feast on unsecured trash. His best advice: Do not feed the bears.

It is also illegal to feed bears in Florida.

“Problems arise when bears have access to people-related food sources such as pet foods, garbage, barbecue grills, birdseed or livestock feed,” Telesco said. “Bears learn very quickly to associate people with food, and this puts the animals at increased risk of illegal kills or crossing highways and getting hit by vehicles.”

Black bears normally are too shy to risk contact with humans, but their strong food drive can overwhelm these instincts. Residents can help these bears “move on,” so they don’t cause a conflict.

“If people remove the attractants, the bears will stay where we want them to stay – in wooded areas – and not enter urban and suburban neighborhoods,” Telesco said.

Properly storing and securing garbage is a proven method of discouraging bears. Barbecue grills should be stored in a secure place, such as a garage or a sturdy shed when they are not in use (typically evenings). Keep garbage cans secure and only place them outside on the morning of pickup, rather than the night before. People can encourage their neighbors, community or local government to use bear-resistant trash containers or dumpsters. To find out where to get them, go to MyFWC.com/Bears and select “Brochures & Other Materials.”

“Another way people can help is to feed pets indoors or bring in dishes after feeding,” Telesco said.

“Relocating bears is not always the best option,” Telesco explained. “Most bears do not stay where we put them, and more than half of the bears we move just end up causing conflicts again in a new location.”

“If you see a black bear, remain calm. Don’t run. Walk calmly toward a building or vehicle and get inside,” Telesco said. “If you have children or pets, bring them inside. Once you are in a secure location, encourage the bear to leave by banging pots and pans, blowing a car or air horn or whistle. The more stressful a bear’s encounter with you, the less likely it is to come back.”

If a bear is in a tree, leave it alone. Remove people and dogs from the area. The bear usually will come down and leave when it feels safe, which is typically after dark.

If the bear is threatening the safety of humans, pets or livestock or is causing property damage, report it to the FWC at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Residents can find out more about living with black bears at MyFWC.com/Bear.

Frequently asked questions about bears

Q. How many bears are there in Florida?

A. The best scientifically valid population estimates total 2,500 to 3,000 bears statewide. Bears currently live in eight relatively isolated areas. While some populations appear to be doing well, others are still recovering.

Q. What do I do if I see a bear?

A. If you encounter a bear at close range, remain standing upright, back up slowly and speak to the bear in a calm, assertive voice. Do NOT feed or intentionally attract bears. If a bear eats something on your property, take note of what it is and secure it once the bear leaves. NEVER approach or surprise a bear. If you see a bear from a distance, enjoy the experience, but do not move toward the bear. If you are close, do not make any sudden or abrupt movements. Back away slowly and be sure the bear has an obvious escape route.

If you are in your yard,

• Make sure you are in a safe area and that the bear has a clear escape route. Then, make noise or bang pots and pans to scare the bear away.
• Do NOT turn your back, play dead, climb a tree or run. Back away slowly into the house or a secure area.
• Avoid direct eye contact. Bears and many other animals may view this as aggressive behavior.
• Report any bear that is threatening the safety of humans, pets or livestock to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert hotline, 888-404-FWCC (3922) (See MyFWC.com/Contact). Cell phone users can call *FWC or #FWC.

Q. Are black bears fast runners or good climbers?

A. Absolutely! Bears can run up to 35 mph and climb 100 feet up a tree in 30 seconds! Do NOT run or climb a tree when you encounter a bear.

• Don't run. Running triggers a chase instinct in many animals, including bears. You can’t outrun a bear.
• Don't climb a tree. Bears are excellent tree-climbers. Mother black bears often send their cubs up a tree when they sense danger. You don’t want to end up in a tree with a couple of cubs above you and a mother bear below you! If a bear chases you, you'll just end up fending off a bear in a tree rather than on the ground.
• Don’t play dead or turn your back on the bear. Back away slowly, make sure the bear has a clear escape route. Stop and hold your ground if your movement away seems to irritate instead of calm the bear.

If bears feel threatened, they may clack their teeth together, moan, blow, huff or paw the ground. The bear is showing you that it is as uncomfortable with the situation as you are. These are not indications of aggressive intent or an imminent attack. Truly predatory or aggressive black bears are eerily silent.

Q. What do I do if the bear stands up on its hind legs?

A. If the bear stands up, this is NOT an aggressive behavior. The bear is only trying to see you better to figure out what you are and assess whether or not you are a threat. Back away slowly, making sure the bear has a clear escape route.

Q. What do I do if a bear comes toward me or attacks?

A. If the bear paws the ground, huffs and puffs, clacks and snorts, or runs directly at you but stops before reaching you and returns to where it started, it is trying to scare you off. If you stand your ground, the bear will likely stop and move away. No matter what happens, do not run away. Continue slowly backing away, talking and holding up your arms. The bear may charge or vocalize several times until it is comfortable turning its back on you and leaving.

While there have been no predatory bear attacks on people in Florida, more than a dozen people have been bitten and scratched by bears defending themselves, cubs or food sources.

If a black bear attacks you: Fight back aggressively. People in other states have successfully fended off black bear attacks using rocks, sticks or even their bare hands. Bears are wild animals and must be respected. Even though they are typically quiet and shy animals, they have the potential to seriously harm humans. Do not take unnecessary risks.

A new draft of the five-year update to the Gopher Tortoise Management Plan for the state is available for review. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is asking for public input.

The threatened gopher tortoise is classified as a keystone species, because its extensive burrows offer shelter to more than 350 other species such as the federally threatened eastern indigo snake. Gopher tortoises were identified more than 235 years ago by naturalist William Bartram as he explored Florida.

“Gopher tortoise burrows average 6.5 feet deep and 15 feet long, provide a home for hundreds of other species and offer great amenities: constant temperature, refuge from fires and bad weather, and protection from predators,” said Deborah Burr, the FWC’s gopher tortoise plan coordinator. “When gopher tortoises decline, so do the occupants of their burrows, such as indigo snakes, gopher frogs and burrowing owls.

“The revised draft Gopher Tortoise Management Plan for the first time addresses the total picture of the tortoise and its tenants,” Burr said.

The draft plan and link to comment on the plan are available at MyFWC.com/GopherTortoise. Public comment will be accepted on the draft plan through June 25. More than 100 individuals and stakeholders already have made suggestions on improving the original 2007 plan, through written input and a public meeting.

The draft revisions to the Gopher Tortoise Management Plan are scheduled to go before the FWC’s Commissioners at their Sept. 5-6 meeting.

The objectives of the draft plan are:

• Minimize loss of gopher tortoises by ensuring humane, responsible relocation from lands slated for development;
• Increase and improve species’ habitat;
• Enhance and restore populations where the species no longer occurs or has been severely depleted;
• Maintain its function as a keystone species by also conserving commensal species.

Florida’s first Gopher Tortoise Management Plan was approved by the FWC in 2007 and was scheduled to be updated five years later.

Under the original plan, Florida has made progress in slowing the decline of gopher tortoises by providing options to move tortoises off lands slated for development as well as opportunities for homeowners and landowners interested in conserving tortoises on their property.

Since 2007, the plan has restored and managed an annual average of 36,000 acres of gopher tortoise habitat, expanded protected tortoise habitat by more than 6,500 acres, and humanely relocated than 4,000 gopher tortoises from development sites to public and private properties that afford the species long-term conservation.

Stakeholders in the Gopher Tortoise Technical Assistance Group were instrumental in the development and implementation of the Gopher Tortoise Management Plan and continue to provide input during the plan’s revision process. Assistance group representatives come from a wide range of interests: industry, conservation, land development, state and local government, universities and research, commercial services, private landowners, large federal and state land managers, animal advocacy and the general public.

In Florida, it is illegal to harm gopher tortoises or their burrows.

Along with JSO, USFWS and FWC agents and officers, numerous federal, state and local marine units from the area will participate in the enforcement effort to not only patrol the manatee protection zones but address other legal requirements on the water, as well. 

The federal manatee protection zones and regulations may be found online at www.fws.gov/northflorida/Manatee/Documents/MPARules/index-federal-mpa-maps.htm.

Those areas designated as protected pursuant to the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act may be found at MyFWC.com/Manatee (click on “Data & Maps”).

In those areas where the federal and state zones are not identical, the more restrictive zone takes precedence. The online maps provide a general overview of the areas that have manatee speed zones but are not a substitute for on-the-water markings. When in doubt, follow the rules as posted on the signs and delineated by the buoys throughout the designated areas in Duval, Clay and St. Johns counties to mark the regulated zones.

Manatee zone boundaries are marked by large, posted signs and buoys; both are white in color with international orange lettering.

Federal and state regulations require vessel operators to operate at the appropriate posted speeds within the manatee zones. Portions of the manatee zones are regulated at a maximum speed of 25 mph and are enforced utilizing radar units.

According to the regulations, a watercraft is considered to be proceeding at slow speed if the vessel is fully off plane, bow down, and completely settled in the water, not creating an excessive wake. However, if a watercraft is on plane, in the process of coming up on or coming off of plane, or creating an excessive wake, it is not considered to be proceeding at slow speed. There is no mile-per-hour speed attached to slow and idle zones. Slow speed and idle speed are based upon the attitude of the vessel. Idle speed is considered to be enough forward momentum to maintain steerage of a vessel.

Federal fines range from $125 for a first offense up to $25,000 and/or six months imprisonment under the Endangered Species Act. The fines increase for each subsequent violation of any state or federal manatee zone throughout the state.

State data indicate manatee mortalities related to watercraft strikes continue to be a concern in Clay, Duval and St. Johns counties, as shown in the table below.

Voluntary compliance is a win-win for boaters and for Florida manatees, providing for safe passage for both through Florida’s waterways.

Enforcement questions regarding the various zones may be directed to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement at 352-429-1037, or you may contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 386-758-0525.

The USFWS is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Visit the Service’s website at www.fws.gov.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will conduct regional workshops to present information on the management plan and permitting guidelines for gopher tortoises.

The goal of these workshops is to identify ways local governments can participate in protecting one of Florida’s threatened species. In addition, the FWC will discuss financial incentives available for local governments to help conserve gopher tortoises.

Scheduled for June 4, 5, 7 and 11 are workshops in Gilchrist, Orange, Hernando and St. Lucie counties. Representatives from neighboring counties are encouraged to attend. The workshops are free, but registration is required, as space is limited.

To register, please send your name and the name of your organization to Alexandra.Perryman@MyFWC.com.

Workshops will be held in additional counties in upcoming weeks. For more information, including the proposed draft revisions and public comment on the Gopher Tortoise Management Plan, visit MyFWC.com/GopherTortoise and click on “Management Plan.” Written comments on this draft plan will be accepted until June 25.

The brown pelican is one species that is especially impacted by monofilament line. These birds frequently spend time looking for an easy meal at piers and other fishing hotspots. They are often hooked accidently as they try to grab bait off an angler’s line. Discarded monofilament line can wind up hanging from trees, piers and other structures, and can ensnare these birds. Once entangled, pelicans can have a difficult time flying and feeding.

 “We often find pelicans that died as a result of monofilament line entanglements hanging from trees and other vegetation,” said FWC regional biologist Ricardo Zambrano. “These birds often suffer for days before succumbing to injury or starvation.”

Here are some simple things you can do to help protect brown pelicans and other wildlife:

• Properly dispose of monofilament line. If you have unwanted line, store it safely and securely until it can be placed in a recycling bin.
• Don’t leave fishing line unattended, as pelicans may be tempted to steal your bait.
• Avoid casting near trees, utility lines and other areas where your line may get caught.
• Check your tackle frequently for frayed line that may easily break.
• Do not feed pelicans or other wildlife, since it encourages them to approach fishing boats, piers and anglers. If available, use fish-scrap repositories. If they are not available, discard your fish scraps in a garbage can or at home.

If you do accidentally hook a pelican, you should avoid cutting the line. Gently remove the hook if you feel confident you can do so without causing harm to yourself or the bird. If you cannot safely remove the hook and line from the pelican, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator. For a list of wildlife rehabilitators in your area, contact any of the FWC’s five regional offices or consult http://wildliferehabinfo.org/.

For more information on the statewide Monofilament Recovery & Recycling Program, visit http://mrrp.myfwc.com.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) planted more than 25,000 aquatic grass plants in Lake Trafford on May 8. Biologists designed this project to provide better habitat for fish and wildlife that live in and around the lake. Lake Trafford, in Collier County, is the largest lake south of Lake Okeechobee.

“This grass will provide excellent habitat for fish living in the lake,” said FWC aquatic restoration biologist Rodney Hudson. “It will also provide a good foraging area for alligators, otters and birds such as herons, egrets and anhingas.”

The grass species, calledPaspalidium geminatum, is native to Florida and is popular fishing habitat for anglers throughout many Florida lakes. Some anglers know this grass as “Kissimmee grass.”

The grass grows in small, scattered patches around the edges of the lake. Biologists chose to plant additional grasses in areas with little or no vegetation. The recently planted grasses will cover approximately two acres of the lake. In time, these grasses should spread over larger sections of the lake, providing more habitat.

For more information on the FWC’s freshwater conservation programs, visit MyFWC.com/Conservation and click on “Freshwater Programs.”

An endangered Florida panther kitten rescued after an apparent vehicle strike in Southwest Florida will likely be unable to return to the wild. Staff from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found the kitten unresponsive on April 23 along State Road 82 in Collier County. A volunteer with the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge on his way to work spotted the injured kitten that morning and reported the sighting.

Rescuers immediately took the then 12-week-old male kitten to the Animal Specialty Hospital of Florida in Naples for treatment. Although veterinarians at the hospital found no major fractures and no signs of significant internal damage, they believe the panther experienced some level of head trauma.

“Unfortunately, this kitten’s condition makes it unlikely that he will recover enough to be released into the wild,” said Dave Onorato, FWC biologist. “We’re grateful to the staff at the Animal Specialty Hospital, who have worked tirelessly caring for him.”

The kitten is being transferred to Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo for further rehabilitation. This is the third kitten and seventh panther overall to receive rehabilitation at the zoo. The kitten’s prognosis is guarded.

A male panther kitten, believed to be this kitten’s brother, died April 7 from injuries also consistent with a vehicle strike.

Collisions with vehicles are the top human-related cause of panther deaths. More than a third of panther deaths documented last year were the result of vehicle strikes. Drivers are encouraged to slow down and drive carefully in rural areas where panthers are known to live. An estimated 100 to 160 adults of this federally endangered species live in the wild.

To report dead or injured panthers, call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or #FWC or *FWC on a cell phone.

Florida residents can support panther conservation efforts through the purchase of a panther license plate at BuyaPlate.com. Fees from these license plates are the primary funding source for the FWC’s research and management of Florida panthers.

For more information on Florida panthers, go to www.FloridaPantherNet.org.

A young male Florida black bear that spent a couple of days in metropolitan Orlando was caught by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biologists about 3 p.m. Sunday and released into the Ocala National Forest that night without incident.

FWC biologists said the bear is a healthy, young male between 2 and 3 years old that weighs 200-250 pounds. He was probably pushed out of his birth territory this spring by his mother and was looking for a new place to call home. He was likely from the Wekiva River Basin area.

“This bear was doing what all young male bears must do: striking out on his own, looking for a new home. Unfortunately, he went the wrong way and eventually wandered into downtown Orlando, two blocks west of the Amway Center,” said Mike Orlando, assistant bear management program coordinator for the FWC. “He got a lot of attention but he never really caused any problems, despite being in the middle of the city.”

Orlando was able to shoot the bear with a tranquilizer dart in the backyard of a residence on Jackson Street, where it had hunkered down for the day.

“It’s always a question of whether or not to attempt to dart a bear in a situation like this for several reasons, including that it may run off before the tranquilizer takes effect,” said Orlando. “Luckily in this situation everything worked the way we always hope it will.”

While the bear was tranquilized and out cold, residents who had been watching the animal all day gathered around as the FWC’s Orlando worked it up and explained what he was doing and why. Many of the residents were thrilled that the bear was uninjured and was going to be moved to the Ocala National Forest.

Orlando Police Department officers first called the FWC about 11:30 p.m. Friday after the bear was treed in a retention pond in the 5000 block of Strada Capri Way in the Turkey Lake area. The FWC explained that the best thing to do was back away from it and give it a chance to leave on its own.

Orlando police kept an eye on the bear as it moved around the city until about 4 a.m. Saturday.

The FWC had no further reports until around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, when Orlando police reported the bear again, this time in a tree near the 1500 block of 20^th Street. Police were on the scene to manage the large crowd that had gathered and to keep an eye on the bear’s travels.

About three hours later, around 1:45 a.m. Sunday, the bear was near Carter Street and Boston Avenue, heading toward the East-West Expressway, also known as the 408. FWC biologists praised the Orlando Police Department’s quick action to close the highway temporarily in the early morning hours, when officers anticipated that the bear would cross it.

While traffic waited, the bear safely crossed the 408 and ended up in a fenced yard on Jackson Street in Parramore, where pit bull dogs living there scared it into a tree. He stayed in the tree for several hours as hundreds of local residents stopped by throughout the day to see the unusual sight in downtown Orlando. Eventually, the bear climbed down and sat at the base of the tree, panting in the shade, where biologist Orlando had the perfect opportunity to dart it and take it safely out of the city.

The last that FWC biologists saw of the bear was when it pushed through thick scrub oaks and palmettos to seek his own space deep in the Ocala National Forest.

Green anoles, a type of American lizard, are often called American chameleons because they can change color, but they are not chameleons at all.

These anoles are the only native lizard in the southeastern United States that changes color, but it is only from bright green to brown or gray. Usually their change in color is due to stress but also to temperature and mating. Males extend a bright pink dewlap (a piece of skin that unfolds from its throat) when looking for a mate or when warning other males to back off. Their head-bobs are like pushups and show the female and other males that they are strong.

Mating season starts in the beginning of April and continues throughout the summer months. In South Florida, the mating season is a little longer. If you see a green anole bobbing up and down and showing his dewlap, look around; there may be a female nearby. A female lays one or sometimes two eggs every two weeks, usually in dirt or debris at the base of a plant.

The green anole is the only native anole in the Southeast and is found from North Carolina west to Texas and throughout Florida.

True chameleons, however, live in Africa, Madagascar, Portugal, Spain and parts of Asia. At least two species have been introduced into Florida. They can change to every color of the rainbow because of mood, temperature, habitat, stress, anger and defense. They often blend easily into their surroundings by changing color. Chameleons hold on to branches with their feet and coiled tails. Their long, curled tongues shoot out like arrows to catch prey.

Anoles are small, long and slender. Like the chameleon, they have the ability to cling to objects but only because of a sticky pad on the underside of their toes. Their tails are not coiled but long and thin and can break easily. This is so they can escape predators. When caught by the tail, the lizard squirms until its tail breaks and it can escape to freedom. The confused predator is left with only the tail and wondering where its lunch has gone. Lizard tails will grow back a little.

In southwestern Florida, the dewlap may be gray, white or light green. These populations are a different subspecies or race of green anole.

Watching green anoles is easy. Around homes, they hang from walls, scurry across sidewalks and driveways and climb shrubs, branches and trees. A little anole visits me daily. He perches on a railing outside my office window and bobs his head up and down, showing off his bright pink dewlap. Anoles generally have a territory, so chances are you’ll see one in the same place, day after day. The one I see is missing his tail.

Another anole in Florida that is not native is the brown anole from Cuba. Many times they are confused with the native green anole when the green anole has turned brown. But brown anoles have obvious patterns on their backs and sides. Green anoles typically have no pattern, although a female may have a slightly wavy whitish stripe down her back.

For more information, you can visit http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Anolis_carolinensis.html.

Eastern chipmunks are thought to live in only a few locations in Northwest Florida but researchers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) are asking anyone who has spotted one to report the sighting.

Wildlife biologist Chris Winchester said information may be recorded at https://public.myfwc.com/hsc/chipmunk/getlatlong.aspx. Smaller than a gray squirrel, the Eastern chipmunk is slightly reddish in color and has white and black stripes running down its back and light stripes above its eyes. 

Winchester said researchers are especially interested in new sighting data, but would like information on older sightings as well.

He said chipmunks appear to be rare in Florida but historically have been found along the Escambia, Blackwater, Yellow and Choctawhatchee rivers. There are also reports of chipmunks observed in back yards, and in forested lots within urban areas. The species is more common in forested areas in the eastern half of the United States from Alabama north to Canada.

Chipmunks are a species of special concern in Florida. He said the sighting study will be useful for a look at the species’ distribution, abundance and preferred habitat.