ORLANDO, Fla. — It is the final day of Florida’s first black bear hunt in ten years, initiated by the Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC) to manage the state’s growing bear population.
The hunt began earlier this month after the state won a legal battle against conservation groups who sought to stop it. This marks Florida’s first black bear hunt since 2015.
The Florida Wildlife Commission aims to control the bear population to prevent human-wildlife conflicts. Over the years, the state has seen an increase in bear sightings and incidents, which have raised safety concerns among residents.
The decision to conduct the hunt encountered strong opposition from several conservation groups, who claimed it could negatively impact the black bear population. Nonetheless, the FWC moved forward with the hunt as part of their wildlife management plan.
After today, the FWC will gather and publish data on how many bears were killed in this month’s hunt, though the exact number is not yet known.
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