Video: Black Bears Break into Florida Homeowner’s Pool to Play
OutdoorHub Reporters 04.29.15
There is no shortage of places to swim in the coastal city of Naples, Florida, yet a trio of young black bears seems to have taken a liking to one family’s pool. According to the homeowner, who posted a video of the cavorting bears on YouTube, the bruins had torn a hole through the patio screen in February and frequently returned to drink water or play at the water’s edge.
“Though I enjoyed seeing them this close, it is best for the bears to not become too accustomed to our home environments, for everyone’s safety, including theirs,” wrote Judy Burris, the homeowner. “About a week later I got a motion activated alarm from Amazon and it has worked very well at discouraging the bears from coming onto the pool deck.”
You can see the video below:
According to NBC Miami, this is not the only time that bears have been trouble for the community. Drawn in by the promise of an easy meal, residents say they often find their trash containers mauled—even those that are supposed to be bear-proof.
“I’ve tried strapping [trash cans] down but they just tear the pilings out,” said Corinne Greeling, who added that the bear scratches can be clearly seen on her trash cans.
Bear encounters are on the rise in Florida and that means that more young bears, especially those who have recently separated from their mothers, are venturing into human neighborhoods to look for food. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is stepping up its efforts to educate residents about bear safety and proper trash containment, but the department also has another plan to keep bear encounters to a minimum. Spurred on by public support and calls from lawmakers, wildlife officials announced that the state will be holding its first bear hunt in more than two decades. The season is expected take place as early as this fall and has a tentative quota of 275 bears.
“Bear populations have grown over the last 15 to 20 years. It is our responsibility to manage these populations, and hunting is an important and effective tool to help us do so,” said FWC Chairman Richard Corbett in a recent press release.
Bear permits are expected to cost $100 for residents and $300 for nonresidents.
