Black bears spotted near Hendry County bus stops, parents urged to talk safety

HENDRY COUNTY, Fla. (WINK)—Parents in Hendry County are being urged to talk with their children about black bear safety after several sightings near bus stops along Primrose Boulevard.

The Hendry County School District issued a safety alert warning families about the recent bear activity in the area. Three black bears were caught on a Ring camera walking just feet from someone's front door, and another photo shows a bear spotted in a front yard.

"They're not aggressively seeking human beings," said Curtis Clay, director of safety and transportation for Hendry County School District. "They're just going out and looking for easy food items, and like this morning, the people that saw them, they ran, the bears hid right away."

The district's warning urges students waiting at bus stops to stay alert, walk in groups, and never approach a bear. Clay said black bears have been present in Hendry County for years, but have never posed a significant problem.

"I've been here in Hendry County for over 30 years working with law enforcement, but black bears have never really been a problem," Clay said. "I mean, we've had them, they're here, but they've not been an issue."

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told WINK News this type of bear activity is not unusual for this time of year. Bears are often searching for food, and mothers are teaching their cubs where to find it. Officials stress that seeing a bear is not necessarily dangerous, but people need to give them space.

Clay recommends keeping anything that might attract bears away from yards and storing trash in the garage until collection night. Residents who see a bear lingering in the area should report it to FWC immediately.