A hungry mama bear and her three cubs wandered onto a school campus Thursday morning, so students were kept inside their classrooms for two hours waiting for the bears to leave, officials said.
River Springs Middle School staff, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the school resource deputy were on high alert as officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were called to Orange City to investigate.
The bear family left the area around 10 a.m. after foraging for food around the campus for about two hours, according to the commission.
The anxiety began shortly after 8 a.m. when the bears were seen near the portable classrooms. Teachers were instructed to keep students inside to avoid scaring them, sheriff's spokeswoman Laura Williams said.
The bears moved on because of their "healthy fear of humans," Williams said.
This is the time of year when bears are active, increasing the number of likely sightings, state wildlife officials said Wednesday.
Earlier in the week wildlife commission biologists were working to trap a Seminole County bear that attacked two dogs and opened the door of a sport utility vehicle and crawled inside, damaging the interior.
An adult female bear and two yearlings had been seen in the Longwood neighborhood. Commission staff were canvassing the area and talking to residents about how not to attract bears. Commission spokesman Greg Workman said Thursday the bear had not been caught."We are continuing our efforts until we have the bear caught," Workman said. "We have biologist and officers monitoring the area."
The commission encourages residents and visitors to take steps to reduce negative conflicts with bears.
“Bears are starting to come out of their winter dens and they’re searching for food,” said Dave Telesco, who directs the commission's Bear Management Program. “Don’t give a bear a reason to hang around in your neighborhood. Remove anything that might attract a bear. If they can’t find food, they’ll move on.”
Female bears that gave birth over the winter are beginning to move around with their growing cubs, which might weigh 5 to 10 pounds. As the cubs grow, the mother bears and cubs will be roaming further afield.
Black bears generally aren't aggressive, but people have been injured in bear encounters. For example, a Seminole County resident was once injured when a bear got into her porch. The agency reminds people not to approach bears and to keep dogs close to you while walking them.
Dogs can trigger defensive behaviors from bears, especially females with cubs, the agency stated.
It is illegal in Florida to intentionally feed bears or leave out food or garbage that will attract bears and cause human-bear conflicts.
Tips for living with Florida black bears
To keep bears away from your home and neighborhood, follow these simple tips:
Secure household garbage in a sturdy shed, garage or a wildlife-resistant container.
Put household garbage out on morning of pickup rather than the night before.
Secure commercial garbage in bear-resistant dumpsters.
Protect gardens, beehives, compost and livestock with electric fencing.
Encourage your homeowner’s association or local government to institute bylaws or ordinances to require trash be kept secure from bears.
Feed pets indoors or bring in leftover food and dishes after feeding outdoors.
Clean grills and store them in a secure place.
Remove wildlife feeders or make them bear-resistant.
Pick ripe fruit from trees and bushes and remove fallen fruit from the ground.
Having conflicts with bears? Call the Commission's office in Ocala at 352-732-1225.
If you feel threatened by a bear or want to report someone who is either harming bears or intentionally feeding them, call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).