May was a tough month for panther, bear and human encounters in Southwest Florida. By May 6, four panthers, one man, a dog and three bears were killed during those confrontations.

Panthers
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation’s (FWC) Panther Pulse database, vehicle collisions were responsible for all of the panther fatalities. The remains of a 1 to 1.25 year old male panther were collected May 1 on State Road 29, about 1 mile south of SR82 in Collier County; the remains of a 4-to-5-year-old male were collected May 2 on Keri Road in Hendry County; the remains of a 6-to-8 month old panther (gender unknown) were collected on Josie Billie Highway in Hendry County; and the remains of a 2-to-3 year old female were collected on SR29 in Collier County.

On a brighter note, a litter of three male panther cubs was found May 9 in the Okaloacoochee Slough Wildlife Management Area, northeast of Immokalee. Vehicle collisions are the primary cause of death for panthers. The FWC encourages motorists to observe all posted speed limits, especially in panther zones, which coincide with areas panthers are known to travel.

The Florida panther was added to the state endangered list in 1958 and federally listed as endangered on the first federal Endangered Species List in 1967. There are estimated to be only about 120-230 adult panthers in the state, most of which live in southwest Florida.

Panthers normally live in remote, undeveloped areas but with the amount of new development occurring in the state, the chance of an encounter grows more common. FWC has a list of guidelines for what to do if someone comes across a panther in the wild.

They are:

• Keep children within sight and close to you. Pick up small children so they don’t panic and run.
• Give the panther space. They will typically avoid a confrontation, so give them a way to escape.
• Do not run. Running may stimulate a panther’s instinct to chase. Stand and face the animal, make eye contact to let the panther know you are aware of its presence.
• Avoid crouching of bending over. That makes you look smaller, resembling a prey-sized animal.
• Appear larger. Make gestures that indicate you are not prey and that you may be a danger to the panther. Raise your arms, open your jacket, throw stones, branches or whatever you can reach without bending over or turning your back, wave your arms slowly and speak firmly in a loud voice.
• Fight back if attacked. There has never been a verified panther attack in Florida. In western states, where attacks by cougars have occurred rarely, potential victims have fought back successfully with rocks, sticks, caps, jackets, garden tools and bare hands. Since large cats usually try to bite the head or neck, try to remail standing and face the animal.

Bears
FWC announced the first fatal Florida black bear attack in state history was reported May 5 south of the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area off SR29 in Collier County. Robert Markel, 89, and his dog were killed by one or more bears, according to FWC.

Markel’s remains were found about 100 yards from his home. FWC found evidence indicating a physical encounter between a bear and a person, a dog recently killed by a bear nearby and signs that the bear entered the victim’s home. FWC guidelines outline the agency’s response when faced with situations that
require removal of a bear for public safety.

Agency officers killed three bears suspected of being involved in the attack and sent the DNA samples to a Gainesville lab for testing. Florida’s black bear population, once classified as threatened, has rebounded in recent decades. The state has more than 4,000 black bears, according to the FWC. Bear sightings and interactions with people have become more common.

FWC is considering a proposed bear hunt in December, which would be the first in a decade. The proposal will be considered at a meeting to be held in Ocala in late May. During the last hunt in 2015, permits were sold without restriction, and 305 bears were killed in just over two days. The state has not permitted bear hunting since then, but FWC voted May 25 to approve a proposal for a hunt in December.

The rules are scheduled to the finalized by in August and would likely limit the permits and grant
them only through a lottery. Florida black bears are found in every area of the state.

Males can weigh between 250 and 400 pounds, require a 62 square mile range and tend to be risk takers. Females weigh between 125 and 250 pounds, need a range of just 15 square miles and are more secretive than males.

The bear diet consists mostly of plants and insects; about 80% plants and 16% insects. Only 4% of their meals are meat. They mostly forage for nuts and berries.

FWC guidelines on what to do during a bear encounter include:

• Never approach a bear, keep your distance. If a bear changes its behavior because you’re there, you are too close.
• If you encounter a bear at close range, stand with arms raised, back up slowly and speak to the bear in a calm, assertive voice.
• Do not turn your back, play dead or run from a black bear.
• Make sure you are in a secure area, such as a car or building, and the bear has a clear escape route, then scare the bear away with loud noises, like yelling, blowing a whistle, or using an air or car horn.
• Install a motion-activated device, such as flood lights, a water sprinkler or audio alarm, to temporarily scare the bear off so you can remove or secure attractants.
• Report any bear threatening the safety of people, pets or livestock, or causing property damage to the FWC (see back cover).
• Walk dogs on a non-retractable leash and be aware of your surroundings. Dogs can trigger defensive behaviors from bears.
• Alert neighbors of bear activity in your community and share information on how to avoid conflicts with bears.