Black Bear Spotted In Carrollwood Area, Report Wildlife Officials

TAMPA BAY, FL – Tampa Bay has either been invaded by a sloth of Florida black bears or there’s one bold black bear who really gets around.

After a Safety Harbor park was closed last week due to a black bear sighting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission said residents have reported seeing a black bear in the Oldsmar and Carrollwood areas.

Philippe Park in Safety Harbor was closed last week after a park ranger spotted a bear on a park security video.

Before heading to Safety Harbor, the bear apparently hung around Clearwater for a bit.

Dave Scrivener, manager of the Countryside Recreation Center in Clearwater, said he had just turned off Countryside Boulevard onto Sabal Springs Drive just before 6 a.m. May 29 when he spotted something large in front of his vehicle.

"He was sitting right in the middle of the road," Scrivener said. "At first I thought it was a big dog."

But when it got up and lumbered off the road, Scrivener realized it was no dog. It was a black bear.

"This was a pretty good-sized bear. This was no cub," he said. "It was a big bear."

The bear was caught on home video near Curlew Road and Countryside Boulevard before making its way south in the direction of the Countryside Recreation Center.

The bear then climbed a tree in an attempt to gain access to the Misty Springs condominium complex.

Scrivener called 911 but officers from Clearwater police and the FWC were unable to find the bear.

Three days later, it appeared at Philippe Park, 2525 Philippe Parkway, Safety Harbor.

Prior to appearing in Clearwater, residents in Port Richey reported seeing a bear wandering in the Gulf Harbors area around May 21.

“The first reports that we received regarding this bear were from Hernando County, moving south," said Bryce Phillippi, a senior office with the FWC.

The most recent sightings were on Sunday at an apiary near Gunn Highway and Sheldon Road, Tuesday around 4 a.m. at Westfield Citrus Park mall and Wednesday around 4 a.m. in the Carrollwood Meadows neighborhood and at 10:30 p.m. in the Village Wood neighborhood.

Although bears usually stick to rural, wooded areas, Dave Telesco, director of FWC’s Bear Management Program, said it’s not unusual for bears to become more active and wander from their usual habitat in search of food when the weather warms up.

"Bears are coming out of their winter dens and they're searching for food," said Telesco.

In fact, he said they’re driven by their need to eat and have a sense of smell that can detect odors over a mile away.

"We continue to encourage the public to give the bear space to pass through the area on its own,” said Phillippi.“In late May and early June, we often receive reports of black bears wandering into high-density urban areas of Florida."

He said the wandering bears are usually about 18-month-old males, the age when their mothers kick them out of the den and send them off to build their own families. Phillippi said they don't intend any harm. They're simply exploring and looking for food.

Close encounters with people occur when bears catch a scent of food in outdoor trash cans, pet food left in bowls on porches and remnants on barbecue grills.

While black bears generally are not aggressive, they can injure people if they feel threatened. Telesco said people should never intentionally approach any bear. When walking your dog, keep your dog close to you – preferably on a non-retractable leash. Dogs can trigger defensive behaviors in bears.

"Secure trash, pet food, bird feeders and other food items that could attract a bear to your yard or neighborhood. If you don't give them a reason to stay, they'll move on,” he said.

If a bear feels threatened, they may clack their teeth together, 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. These are not indications of aggressive intent or an imminent attack, Telesco said. Aggressive black bears are rare and eerily silent.

If you encounter a bear at close range:

• Remain standing upright
• Speak to the bear in a calm, assertive voice
• Back up slowly toward a secure area and be sure to leave 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

If a bear comes into your yard:

• You want to let the bear know it is not welcome in your yard, so from a safe location, scare it away by yelling, banging pots and pans, using an air horn, or anything else that makes a lot of noise. The use of paint balls, bear spray and slingshots are also allowed under FWC guidelines.

If a black bear attacks you:

• Fight back aggressively. People have successfully fended off black bear attacks using rocks, sticks or even their bare hands.

If a bear is threatening the safety of humans, pets or livestock, or causing property damage, contact the FWC Southwest Regional Office at 863-648-3200 or call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.

See related stories:

• Bear Spotted Miles Away; Safety Harbor Park Reopened
• Bear Scare: Philippe Park Closed After 2nd Bear Sighting: VIDEO