Sanford residents divided over growing bear sightings in neighborhood
Sanford residents divided over bear sightings in neighborhood
Black bears are increasingly common in Central Florida neighborhoods, and residents in Sanford?s Butchertown community say the animals are becoming a regular?and sometimes unwelcome?sight.
SANFORD, Fla. - Black bears are increasingly common in Central Florida neighborhoods, and residents in Sanford’s Bookertown community say the animals are becoming a regular—and sometimes unwelcome—sight.
What we know:
Black bears have become a regular presence in Sanford’s Bookertown neighborhood, where residents say development has pushed the animals out of their habitat and into the community.
Some encounters have led to safety concerns, including an injury to one resident who tripped while fleeing from a bear. The area falls within Seminole County’s designated urban bear management zone.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX LOCAL APP
What we don't know:
It remains unclear whether the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will take new action in Bookertown. Past trapping attempts were unsuccessful, and while the agency says it hasn’t received recent complaints, residents insist the bears continue to roam the area.
The backstory:
The county had previously considered converting nearby land into a retention pond, but maintenance is on hold after community push back. Residents say the overgrown property now provides cover for wildlife, including bears, which heightens their safety concerns.
What they're saying:
Some residents support hunting as a way to reduce encounters, while others want relocation and protection instead. Lawmakers are expected to revisit the issue during the state’s bear hunt in December.
"He was coming across right behind me, and I ran through my flower bed. Oh, man. And my foot popped, and I thought it was broken," said Annie Felton, who injured her ankle while running from a bear.
"If you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you," countered Annie Williams, a neighbor who enjoys seeing the animals and opposes hunting.
SIGN-UP FOR FOX 35'S BREAKING NEWS, DAILY NEWS NEWSLETTERS
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by residents in Sanford’s Bookertown neighborhood, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).