Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission examination of recent large-scale manatee deaths in Lee County said a shutdown of a power plant near the canal the animals use for warmth could be a mitigating factor in the deaths.

Late last month, record-low temperatures cooled down the waters of the Gulf and the Atlantic significantly, causing almost 800 sea turtles to wash ashore across Florida’s beaches.

A fact sheet posted Friday showed that all but six of the 172 permits purchased were by Florida residents.

In total, 52 bears were killed — less than a third of the potential number. No citations were issued.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission says 5,195 invasive green iguanas were removed from Florida's ecosystems under an executive order thanks to the efforts of members of the public, partners, and staff.

Climate change has pushed some native Florida species north. While the reptiles prefer South Florida’s climate, they have been spotted around the bay area.

Florida plans to make the hunt an annual event, although details about next season’s dates have not been released.

The hunt, which started Dec. 6 and ended Sunday, had been restricted to 172 permit holders who had won vouchers through a random lottery involving more than 160,000 applicants.

The state-sanctioned hunt began Saturday, despite the vocal opposition of critics. Hunters who were issued one of the 172 permits will be able to kill one bear each.

The bear hunt, the first approved by the commission since 2015, could lead to as many as 172 bears being killed in four regions of the state.

Florida's black bear hunting season is scheduled to begin on Dec. 6.

Bear hunting has long been controversial in Florida, with the last hunt held in 2015. The commission on Aug. 13 approved this year’s hunt, which is scheduled from Dec. 6 to Dec. 28.