Black Bears

The FWC would set the number to be hunted each year based on bear population, growth rate, management objectives and bear deaths from other causes. This year the number is 187.

"The only justification the FWC [Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission] has given for having the hunt is to offer an opportunity for trophy hunters to bag a bear," the group Bear Defenders said in a statement announcing the protests.

Necropsy results revealed that a 263-pound black bear contained the partial remains of 89-year-old Robert Markel, and a preliminary autopsy found that Markel’s cause of death was consistent with a bear attack.

An investigation is ongoing and killing the bears is protocol, the FWC said. If confirmed, it would be the first recorded human fatality caused by a bear in Florida.

The attack occurred just south of Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area.

While urban bear encounters have increased in Florida, some fear a bear hunt could leave more dead than necessary.

They'll take place on early April, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will discuss them in a May meeting.

The proposals are expected to be completed by a May commission meeting, giving staff members time to compile data from ongoing studies about bear populations and gather more public input.

Florida black bears are beginning to increase their activity as fall descends on Southwest Florida.

Filmmaker Arix Zalace said the Panhandle of Florida is "incredibly important" in terms of biodiversity.

They include funds to research the long-term health impacts of red tide, and more money for the removal of Burmese pythons and other non-native species. The budget now awaits Gov. DeSantis' approval.

The legislation is similar to the “stand your ground” law that allows people to use deadly force against other people threatening them. People who kill bears would not be allowed to eat them or stuff them.