Dear Friend,
We had a committee session this week where a House Bill was approved that potentially makes it simpler to harm our cherished Florida black bears. House Bill 87 proposes granting Floridians the authority to kill black bears on their property if they “reasonably believed” they were in danger. While this may seem innocuous, the vague wording raises concerns about people potentially fabricating threats to justify killing bears on their property. Statistically, black bears cause less than one fatality per year– Representative Gottlieb highlighted that the likelihood of being killed by bees or alligators surpasses that of black bears. Historically, matters like this have fallen under the jurisdiction of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC), responsible for euthanizing bears deemed threatening, averaging around 38 bears annually. If the FWC does not perceive a bear as a threat, hastily permitting individuals to kill it may circumvent a situation that could have been addressed by the FWC. While such dangerous scenarios do occur, the bill’s wording facilitates the easy killing of black bears that might otherwise be handled by the FWC.
The bill may potentially result in an elevated occurrence of individuals firing their weapons in urban areas, leading to a rise in accidental gun deaths. Accidental gun deaths already contribute to more fatalities in the country than incidents involving black bears. Considering the safety implications, is it advisable to allow people to shoot at bears in densely populated neighborhoods, where a missed shot could result in the loss of human lives? Given the existing prevalence of gun violence in both the country and this state, it raises the question of whether we should avoid adding more accidental gun deaths by addressing issues through the FWC without the risk of stray bullets.
Why is the proposed bill necessary? With the continuous growth of Florida’s population, more areas are being developed to accommodate the increasing number of residents. Unfortunately, these developments often impinge on traditional black bear territories. Additionally, the allure of food in our trash proves irresistible to black bears, who can detect it from a considerable distance. A suggested solution involves residents in these areas securing their trash cans with anti-bear straps when placed outside. However, some argue that this measure is insufficient, as garbage collectors may refuse to pick up the trash or neglect to re-secure the strap after removal. While we acknowledge this as a valid concern, we question the rationale behind resorting to lethal measures without first exploring less harmful alternatives to address the issue.
Some of you might be aware that our state faced a similar issue involving a black bear that entered Orlando last year. The bear climbed up a tree whenever it spotted people, and it would only venture into the streets at night when there were no people around. Displaying a shy behavior towards humans, the bear seemed to make a conscious effort to avoid people whenever possible. The FWC successfully trapped the bear and transported it out of the area. It’s important to note that these bears are not apex predators like grizzlies or polar bears; rather, they are scavengers primarily searching for their next meal, often found in trash in our areas. We encourage people to contact their lawmakers to protect black bears and come up with preventative rather than reactive solutions.