UPDATE: Bear in Ocala trapped and released

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Posted June 9, 2024 | By Andy Fillmore, andy@ocalagazette.com

ARTICLE UPDATED JUNE 10: Former Ocala mayor Gerald Ergle recently had his first bear sighting at the northeast Ocala home he has lived in since 1964. Ergle speculated that the bear he saw meandering around his property around 12:30 p.m. on June 6 may have been seeking food.

“The bear came across from my neighbor’s property and walked into our yard,” said Ergle, who lives in the 3600 block of Southeast 12th Terrace.

He described the bear as “young,” perhaps just over 2 years old, and standing about 30 inches tall at the shoulders. Ergle said no development is underway in his established neighborhood but there is an adjacent wooded area. He said residents of the nearby Crestwood subdivision have had bear encounters.

“My neighbor called the game commission (and) she said they told her just to let him go and he would move on,” Ergle wrote in a text about the recent encounter.

On Monday morning June 10, Kristen Turner, Public Information Director, Northeast Region Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, wrote that, “The FWC’s Bear Management Program is aware of recent sightings of a bear in Ocala. In most cases, it is best for bears to be given space and to move along on their own; however, given that this bear appeared to be having challenges finding its way, FWC staff set traps to try and assist the bear in moving out of the area. The female yearling/young adult bear was successfully trapped for relocation and was released in the Ocala National Forest this weekend.”

It was not immediately clear if this was the same bear as spotted by Ergle.

Turner also wrote that, “During this time of year, bears are more active, with spring marking a return to activity for bears after limited movements in winter. During the spring and summer, juvenile bears (ages 1 ½ – 2 ½) are also starting to disperse and leave their mothers’ home ranges and may be seen in unexpected areas as they travel in search of a new location to settle down. Typically, these bears will move along on their own. If you see a bear, give it space, don’t try to approach it, and never feed it. Seeing a bear in a neighborhood is not necessarily cause for alarm. However, it is important that residents secure food attractants so that bears do not linger in the area. If a bear is not able to find food and is given space, it will move on. Feeding bears can make them lose their natural fear of people.”

An Ocala Police Department Facebook page post on June 7 stated the agency was aware of “a black bear wandering around  in the Woodfields neighborhoods” and “FWC was making attempts to trap it.”  Any FWC trapping activity related to the sightings could not immediately be confirmed with FWC.

OPD asked people to not approach a bear they encounter as that might “scare the bear and make it avoid the trap” and asked citizens to remove bird feeders and secure trash bins.

The FWC provides a five-year mapping of bear sightings with some posts that include photos or videos of the encounter at app.myfwc.com/fwri/blackbear/locations

The 2024 Marion County sightings include March 3 in the vicinity of County Road 326 and Baseline Road, March 19 near Ocklawaha, May 3 in Marion Oaks and June 3 and 4 in vicinity of Southwest 80th Street. Multiple sightings over the five year period are seen in red, including southeast and southwest Marion County and the Ocala National Forest area.

FWC literature lists three levels of bear behavior: normal, for example when bears are at a distance; concerning, which may be seen when bears are eating or protecting their cubs; and threatening, such as in cases when a bear approaches people or enters a building.

People should maintain safe distances and never approach a bear in cases of normal behavior and in cases of concerning or threatening behavior find a safe place and call the FWC Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922 or text #FWC or *FWC on mobile devices. In cases of emergency, call 911.

The FWC site at myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/bear/ details human and bear interaction.

“Bears are wild animals and must be respected. Even though they are typically quiet and shy animals, they have the potential to seriously harm or kill people,” the site states.

“If a bear feels threatened, they may clack their teeth together (youtube.com/watch?v=UdcEyLAsMyU) moan, blow, huff, or stomp the ground. They may bluff charge (run toward you and then stop before reaching you). These are all ways the bear is showing you it is as uncomfortable with the situation and it wants you to give it some space,” according to the website.

The website also states if you see a bear from a distance “enjoy the experience” but if your presence changes the bear’s behavior, you are too close.” If you should have a close encounter with a bear the FWC website lists these recommendations:

* Remain standing upright

* Speak to the bear in a calm, assertive voice

* Back up slowly toward a secure area, be sure you are leaving the bear a clear escape route

* Avoid direct eye contact – bears and other animals may view this as aggressive behavior

* Stop and hold your ground if your movement away seems to irritate instead of calm the bear

DO NOT:

* Make any sudden or abrupt movements

* Run – running can trigger a chase instinct and bears can sprint up to 35 mph

* Play dead – black bears eat things that play dead or are dead

* Climb a tree – black bears can climb 100 feet up a tree in 30 seconds

* Approach or surprise a bear, especially one that may be injured

The FWC does recommend if you are attacked to “fight back aggressively. People have successfully fended off black bear attacks using rocks, sticks, or even their bare hands!”

To learn more, visit myfwc.com/bear and bearwise.org