SAFETY HARBOR, Fla — A Safety Harbor homeowner found quite the surprise recorded on her home security camera-- a black bear.
“I never expected to see a bear, but we got to see Yogi bear. It was awesome," Rothe, who is no stranger to wildlife, said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has been searching for the bear in Pinellas County with a previous sighting happening on Tuesday at Philippe Park.
In the video, you can see the bear roaming through Jennifer Rothe's front yard twice. Once around 12 a.m. and the second time was close to 3:55 a.m.
She says she's made it a habit to check her security video every morning since her family has spotted coyotes, owls and wild cats in the past.
“I really think the poor thing is just hungry, he’s looking for food. I noticed when I was walking our dog this morning that one of our neighbor’s their garbage can was flipped over and garbage was everywhere," Rothe added. "So, I’m sure he’s just—he’s hungry, he’s being pushed out of his lands.”
Rother says she reported the sighting to the FWC and encourages others to do the same. And while spotting a bear might have scared others, Rothe enjoyed the experience.
“I am very blessed that he visited our yard. I love it. I love wildlife. I try to advocate for them, ya know, they’re all welcome here," she said.
FWC reports it received two sightings of the bear Thursday morning, later verified by team biologists, and that the bear was "observed several miles away moving in the direction of more suitable habitat."
Bear sightings during this time of the year are not uncommon, according to the FWC. It adds that young bears are leaving their family unit to look to establish an area of their own. The transient bears involved are usually around 18 months old and weigh around 150 pounds, FWC says.
FWC believes this bear was first spotted in Hernando County then traveled to Pasco County. Just this week the bear was spotted in a Palm Harbor Community before making its way into Philippe Park.
Officials are trying to get the bear to move out of the area on its own. If not, they may relocate the bear.
If you do encounter a bear at close range, the FWC says you should not run. Instead, you will need to stay upright, speak to the bear in a calm and assertive voice and slowly back away while leaving the bear with an escape route.
To report a "human-bear" conflict you can contact the FWC's Southwest Regional Office at 863-648-3200.
More information about the Florida black bear can be found here.
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