Massive Black Bear Killed in Florida

A giant black bear that created a roar in a Longwood neighborhood turns to be the largest on record in the state of Florida.

That creature, which weighed in at 740 pounds, was trapped by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation officers in the Alaqua Lakes neighborhood on Sunday. The bear was ultimately euthanized by FWC since it was deemed a danger.

“Human safety is paramount to the FWC,” explained spokeswoman Carli Segelson. “The FWC has been accelerating efforts to reduce human-bear conflicts and is removing bears that we believe pose a public safety threat.”

This particular bear, which is the largest on state record, Segelson noted, posed a problem for several reasons.

“This bear was continually sighted in the neighborhood, did not appear to have fear of people and could therefore pose a human safety risk,” she said.

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Prior to this capture, the largest black bear on record in the state weighed 620 pounds. That bear was caught in 2013 in the Lake County town of Paisley, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Black bears can be found anywhere in the state of Florida, but are primarily contained to six main regions across the state, according to the FWC website. While black bears are no longer on the state’s list of threatened species, it is still illegal to injure or kill a bear or possess or sell its parts.

Residents who do have black bears come into their yard are urged to get to a safe area while making sure the creature has a clear escape route.

“You want to let the bear know it is not welcome in your yard, so scare it away by yelling, banging pots and pans, using an air horn, or anything else that makes a lot of noise,” the FWC website suggests. Those who encounter bears are also urged to make sure easy food sources, such as garbage cans, are kept out of their reach.

“A fed bear is a dead bear,” FWC warns.

FWC fielded more than 6,600 calls about bears in 2013, which was dramatically up from 1990’s 99 calls.

For more information about black bears, visit FWC online.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission