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Does Your Neighborhood Really

by Tim L. Tetzlaff, Pass the Bear Test?
Director of Conservation,
Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

he dog was barking in the backyard — not his usual bark, subpopulations in the state. Bears have a lot of green space, but we
but the urgent, stubborn kind. He wouldn’t come when I inadvertently give them offers they can’t refuse: that midnight trash
T called. He was staring into the dark beyond our four-foot buffet. For an animal that can smell food more than a mile away,
fence. I grabbed a flashlight. A black bear sniffing out a couple slices of leftover pizza is easier than foraging for
looked back at us. 750 acorns. And let’s not get started on donuts. 'A fed bear is a dead
The bear was about 40 feet beyond bear' is a gravely serious rhyme. Bears taught dangerous behavior by
the fence. I called out to let him know a people can be slated for killing. It's a really awful day for a biologist –
human was here and used the bear whistle and the worst one for a bear.
I’d grabbed off the door handle. He wasn’t There’s also a financial angle. In one Florida case, an HOA faced a
charging as I rushed the dog back in the $5 million settlement after residents were not adequately warned about
house, but he also wasn’t leaving. Not great. a known native wildlife hazard. HOA boards should understand that
Not every encounter ends that cleanly. documented wildlife risks can carry real liability, and if insurance is
When a barking dog goes after a bear, a loving owner understandably insufficient or exclusions apply, residents may face special assessments.
wants to rescue their dog. But we both know who to bet on when Naples Zoo created www.floridabear.org with practical guidance
bark comes to bite. The majority of injurious incidents between bears on trash management, pet safety, and HOA liability including lawyer-
and us have involved dogs. written boilerplates for immediate use. Follow the proven steps you’ll
I sit on the state’s Bear Technical Assistance Group, and Mike find there and report conflicts to FWC early, before bear behavior
Orlando, the head of FWC’s Bear Program, has spoken multiple becomes harder to change.
times at our Conservation Lecture Series. FWC Bear Biologist Chris In my circumstance that night, preparation got us out of it. But luck
Boyce and area experts speak at other zoo events. What I’ve learned played a role too. A four-foot fence stopped the dog, but it doesn't stop
is that bear conflict is usually predictable and often preventable. a bear that's been drawn in by a whole neighborhood's trash. The steps
Unsecured trash, pet food left outside, grills, bird feeders: powerful that keep bears from crossing that line aren't just yours to take — they're
attractants. Once a bear learns that a neighborhood equals calories, everyone's. And with a few common-sense steps taken together, it
the outcome is rarely good. usually goes the right way. For all of us, and for the bears.
In my own former neighborhood, I put my trash out in the Learn more at floridabear.org
morning, but that only goes so far when bears are learning from the
whole street. The good news is you don’t need everyone. Once you To see the full schedule, visit NaplesZoo.org/speakers
get more than 60% of a neighborhood controlling their trash, bears Contact me at tim@napleszoo.org
usually stop coming. To learn more or support these efforts, visit NaplesZoo.org/conserve
That’s critical since Florida’s formerly threatened black bear
population is recovering, and we live in one of the densest bear

Together, we can create a brighter, more resilient future for people and wildlife.
Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit caring for rare species and welcoming families in a century-old historic garden. Since 2015,
the zoo has invested more than $4.5 million in saving plants and animals in the wild and fully supports 35 field conservation staff working in seven countries.
To learn more about how you can invest in a better future for people and wildlife, email tim@napleszoo.org.
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