City officials in Clermont have gone on the record, publicly opposing Florida's upcoming statewide bear hunt.

"We don't agree with it," said Clermont Mayor Gail Ash. "This is our natural environment."

Ash said she is proud to know her city is the first in Florida to stand up against the bear hunt, and she hopes other cities will oppose it as well.

"Here in Lake County, I think because of our natural beauty, we are always concerned with maintaining our lifestyle, in the sense of our beautiful environment, and that includes the animals living in the environment," Ash explained.

The mayor said there have been few, if any, encounters with bears reported in Clermont and Lake County, and she is concerned the area is in the crosshairs of the hunt, with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission allotting 100 bear kills for the Central Florida area.

So, Clermont city leaders have taken a symbolic stand. What began as a citizen's plea during the public comments of a City Council meeting led to a resolution in which the city not only declared it opposes the bear hunt, but also asked Gov. Rick Scott to intervene. The council unanimously approved the resolution.

Chuck O'Neal, director of Speak Up Wekiva, a group which has protested and even filed lawsuits to try to stop the hunt, said he was overwhelmed by the support.

"It was a complete surprise to us, but a delightful surprise," O'Neal said.

O'Neal added he knows the city of Clermont has no legal standing to stop the hunt, which has allotted a total of 325 black bear kills across the state, but he believes the city's opposition may influence others to take a stand.

"If other cities were to listen, and other counties were to listen to Clermont, who is taking the lead on this, we could have this problem solved in no time," O'Neal said.

"We let people know how we felt about it," said Mayor Ash. "If the governor decides not to change anything, that is his choice. We made our choice."

City officials said they will send a letter to Gov. Scott asking him to stop the bear hunt.

O'Neal's group, Speak Up Wekiva, is going to Tallahassee to ask a judge to issue an injunction to stop the hunt, which is scheduled to begin Oct. 24.

The most recent statewide estimate of the bear population was done in 2002. New numbers won't be updated until 2016.

Until 2012, the Florida black bear was on a state-designed threatened species list. For almost 40 years, there have been concerns over the future of the species.


The green and brown areas of this map show where the bears largely inhabit in Florida. The areas with the largest number of bear encounters are the eastern Panhandle and Central Bear Management Units.

To take a closer look at bear encounters where you live, head to the FWC website.


Human-bear conflicts in Florida

Florida Fish and Wildlife officials said a bear threatening a human is rare.

From 1980 to 2012, only 1 percent of bear encounters involved a bear threatening a human. Most of the encounters involve seeing a bear in the area, in a yard or in a tree (38 percent), or seeing a bear rummaging in the garbage (31 percent).

According to FWC, Lake, Marion, Seminole and Volusia counties make up the majority of the calls regarding black bear sightings. The Ocala National Forest, a major bear habitat, spreads out into most of those counties, although Seminole County isn't included in the Ocala National Forest.


What to do if you encounter a bear

If you encounter a bear at close range, remain standing upright, back up slowly and speak to the bear in a calm, assertive voice.
 
Do NOT feed or intentionally attract bears. If a bear eats something on your property, take note of what it is and secure it once the bear leaves.
 
NEVER approach or surprise a bear. If you see a bear from a distance, enjoy the experience, but do not move toward the bear. If you are close, do not make any sudden or abrupt movements. Back away slowly and be sure the bear has an obvious escape route.
 
If you are in your yard:

  • Make sure that you are in a safe area and that the bear has a clear escape route. Then, make noise or bang pots and pans to scare the bear away.
  • Do NOT turn your back, play dead, climb a tree or run. Back away slowly into the house or secure area.
  • Avoid direct eye contact. Bears and many other animals may view this as aggressive behavior.
  • Report any bear that is threatening the safety of humans, pets or livestock, or causing property damage to the FWC.


How to keep bears away from your home

  • Secure household garbage in a shed, garage or a wildlife-resistant container.
  • Put household garbage out on morning of pickup rather than the night before.
  • Secure commercial garbage in bear-resistant dumpsters.
  • Protect gardens, apiaries, compost and livestock with electric fencing.
  • Encourage your homeowners association or local government to institute ordinances on keeping foods that attract wildlife secure.
  • Feed pets indoors or bring in dishes after feeding.
  • Clean grills and store them in a locked, secure place.
  • Remove wildlife feeders or make them bear-resistant.
  • Pick ripe fruit from trees and remove fallen fruit from the ground. Bears love fruit!
  • Screened enclosures are not secure and will not keep out bears.

(Source: FWC)