As Florida black bears become active in late winter and spring, the chances of a bear encounter go up significantly if you leave food unsecured outdoors – whether in your campsite or at home.
What months are black bears most active?
Bear Behavior
Bears are most active during early morning and late evening hours in spring and summer. Mating usually takes place in July. Both female and male bears may have more than one mate during the summer.
Where Do bears sleep in Florida?
The female may stay in her den for a few months. A den may be made in a variety of situations, including logs, stumps, tree cavities, caves, banks & culverts. Black bears climb well, and some dens may be well above ground level. Many times a temporary nest, or bed, is made on the ground for resting or napping.
Do black bears in Florida hibernate?
Do Black Bears Hibernate? Black bears are not true hibernators. Instead, they experience what is often called denning, ursid hibernation or carnivore lethargy. This period of reduced activity occurs in all black bear populations.
What time are black bears active?
Bears are usually active from dawn to dusk, but they may be seen any time of day or night. Bears in many places of high human use have become nocturnal in order to avoid people.
What smells do bears hate?
While bears love anything sweet (yes, even honey) they have often been found to steer clear of anything pine-scented. Bears dislike the scent of any pine-scented cleaners that contain pine. Using pure pine oil or a cleaner that contains pine oil, such as Pine-Sol, will aid in repelling bears.
What is Black Bears favorite food?
American black bears are omnivorous, meaning they will eat a variety of things, including both plants and meat. Their diet includes roots, berries, meat, fish, insects, larvae, grass, and other succulent plants. … This is true for bee hives as well, as bears are very attracted to honey.
Are Florida black bears aggressive?
Although Florida black bears aren’t typically aggressive, they’re large (they’re Florida’s largest land mammal), strong, and can react when provoked. Bears should be given their space.
What to do if you see a bear in Florida?
What do I do if I see a bear?
- Make sure that you are in a safe area and that the bear has a clear escape route. …
- Do NOT turn your back, play dead, climb a tree or run. …
- Avoid direct eye contact. …
- Report any bear that is threatening the safety of humans, pets or livestock, or causing property damage to the FWC.
How do bears spend their winter in Florida?
Florida black bears don’t have to hibernate to avoid the cold, but they do go into a lethargic state because there is less food in the winter. … Florida black bears don’t have to hibernate to avoid the cold, but they do go into a lethargic state because there is less food in the winter.
What months do black bears hibernate?
When the weather grows cold and the food supply finally dries up, they will retreat to their winter dens. Males bed down around mid-December and emerge in mid-March; females, which give birth during the winter and stay with their cubs for two years, remain in their dens longer, from late November to mid-April.
Where can I find a black bear den?
If you suspect something is a den, look for a bed of leaves, although not all bears make beds if they den after snow has fallen. To be sure a bear used a leafy bed, look for a depression 2-4 feet in diameter. Dampen your hand on the forest floor and rub it around on the leaves to see if any dark hair sticks to it.
Can you shoot a bear in Florida?
Myth # 9: It is legal to shoot a black bear on your property. In Florida, black bears are protected by law. It is illegal to kill a bear without an FWC issued hunting or depredation permit, unless it is protect human life. A viable alternative to shooting a bear perceived as a threat is through the use of bear spray.
What do you do if you see a black bear?
Stand and face the bear directly. Never run away from or approach him. Make yourself look as big as possible by spreading your arms or, better yet, a coat. Make as much noise as possible by yelling, banging pots and pans or using other noisemaking devices.
How smart are black bears?
Possibly, according to a recent study that shows the mammals are as smart as primates. … In experiments, captive bears showed that they could perform numerical tasks, including distinguishing the number of dots on an image.
Where Do bears sleep at night?
Most often they make a den under a rock, in a hollow tree, snuggled under a fallen tree, or in a brush pile. In the springtime, as snow melts and food sources become more available, bears wake up from their long hibernation.