Troublesome Florida Black Bear Travels 90 Miles to Return Home
OutdoorHub Reporters 05.16.14
Last month OutdoorHub posted a video of a 350-pound black bear being tranquilized in Panama City, Florida. Officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission found the bear holed up in a tree after rummaging for trash. Bears that become dependent on humans for food can be dangerous, so the unruly bruin was captured on April 14 and relocated to a section of the Apalachicola National Forest nearly 90 miles away. According to The News Herald, it took the bear less than a month to return home.
“It’s hard to believe that it’s him, but it is,” said FWC spokesperson Stan Kirkland. “He’s back.”
Residents reported seeing the bear early in the day on Tuesday, and by late afternoon the bear had once again settled atop another tree. For the second time within a month FWC officers darted the bear with tranquilizers. This time, however, responders were a little more prepared for the bear’s capture. The heavy bruin fell straight through the thick tarp meant to catch it last time, so biologists thoughtfully placed airbags beneath the tarp on Tuesday.
The bear was safely captured to the applause of onlookers. Biologists positively identified the bear by the green tags it still wore from its last capture.
“It was successful in that the bear survived the fall, before, the bear went through the tarps and that was kind of unfortunate, but he obviously wasn’t injured so we’ll see what happens this time,” Kirkland told WMBB.
It is believed that the bear did not intend to stay in Panama City for long and was headed west. Kirkland said that if the FWC decides to relocate the bear again, that direction may be an option.
Watch FWC officers capture the bear—again—below:
WMBB News 13 – The Panhandle’s News Leader
