Staff report
Published: Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 8:19 p.m.
East Gainesville isn't the only place in North Central Florida that has residents reporting sightings of black bears.
While a 150-pound male black bear has been seen several times this week in neighborhoods in northeast and southeast Gainesville, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has also received several calls about two black bears in the Clay County area over the past week.
Wildlife officials set up a culvert trap in an area where one of the bears frequents, according to Karen Parker, FWC public information coordinator.
"He doesn't avoid humans when approached or when loud, explosive fireworks are shot off near him," Parker said.
The other reports concern a bear in the Orange Park area.
FWC biologist Allan Hallman has responded numerous times to these bear complaints over the past week.
"Problems arise when bears have access to unnatural food sources such as pet foods, garbage, barbecue grills, birdseed or livestock feed," Hallman said. "We're hoping that if people remove the attractants, the bears will return to wooded areas and leave the urban and suburban neighborhoods," Hallman said.
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110602/articles/110609853
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