Young bear hit and killed by car as officials raced to trap it, Florida officials say
A young black bear, spotted in a suburb of Orlando, has been hit and killed by a car, wildlife officials said.
Orlando police had initially shared photos of the bear on April 24, but warned residents that “even though the bear is cute, please do not approach.”
Police contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to safely remove the bear from the busy neighborhood, hoping it could be relocated.
A trap set for the bear on April 25 was then closely monitored by wildlife officials, police said.
The bear was described as a “dispersing” bear, meaning it had recently left the comfort of its mother to go off on its own, according to wildlife officials.
“Black bears have been reported in the downtown Orlando area each year, particularly during the spring when bears are more active and juvenile bears are starting to leave their mother’s home range,” officials told McClatchy News in an email.
The bear stayed on the move for days, officials said.
“In this situation, attempts were made to try and trap the bear for relocation but the bear continued to be on the move,” the wildlife agency said. “Each situation may be different, but generally it is best practice for bears to be given plenty of space so that they will move away on their own.”
In the early hours of April 27, the bear was spotted on the road.
It had been hit and killed by a car, wildlife officials confirmed.
“Typically, these bears have moved along out of the city on their own and this is the first time that a dispersing bear has been hit by a car in the city of Orlando, based on reports to the FWC,” officials said.
Biologists estimate there are just over 4,000 black bears in Florida, some of whom have large geographical ranges.
Black bear cubs are born in late January and early February, according to wildlife officials, and stay with their mothers until the summer of their second year.
This story was originally published April 27, 2023 at 1:49 PM with the headline "Young bear hit and killed by car as officials raced to trap it, Florida officials say."
