Bear in Town ‘n’ Country evades capture; residents urged to avoid animal
TOWN ‘N’ COUNTRY, Fla. (WFLA) — The bear that wandered about neighborhoods in Hillsborough County has evaded attempts to trap it, officials said.
Saturday, a black bear that was first spotted at a Tampa apartment complex made its way to a neighborhood in Town ‘n’ Country, where it remained perched in a tree.
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“I never seen a bear ever in my life, especially in Florida, and I have been here seven years, and it is surreal,” a resident who lived in the area said.
Trappers set out muffins and other pastries in a cage to try to capture it alive, but the bear was not fooled. For the rest of the day, the bear remained on the tree, yawning and looking around at the people watching it.
Eventually the bear came back down Sunday morning and moved on, avoiding the trap for greener pastures.
The FWC said its staff set several traps to relocate it somewhere safer, likely the Ocala National Forest.
“Our bear biologists are monitoring the situation,” the FWC said. “It’s best to allow bears to move along on their own. However, due to this bear’s difficulty in finding its way, FWC staff have set traps to assist in safely relocating it.”
Experts said black bears typically become active in the spring, with young bears looking for territory. During this time, people are advised to avoid feeding bears and secure any food sources to keep them from human populations.
The FWC warned residents if they see the bear, avoid it and call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
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