Learn, have fun at Florida Black Bear & Wildlife Conservation Festival Oct. 11

September 15, 2014

MyFWC.com/Bear

 

Bear photos available on FWC’s Flickr site. Go to: https://flic.kr/s/aHsjxNr5SK.

 

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Learn, have fun at Florida Black Bear & Wildlife Conservation Festival Oct. 11

 

Come to the festival where the fun includes learning about Florida black bears, which can smell food a mile away, reach an average of 400 pounds if male, and chow down on 20,000 calories a day during fall.

The 15^th annual Florida Black Bear & Wildlife Conservation Festival will be held Saturday, Oct. 11 in the town of Umatilla, in northern Lake County. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is one of the festival’s many partners. Nearby is the Ocala National Forest, home to the largest subpopulation of Florida black bears.

“Get outside, enjoy the beautiful fall weather and learn about Florida’s unique and diverse wildlife at the Florida Black Bear & Wildlife Conservation Festival,” said Cathy Connolly of the FWC’s black bear management program.

“Central Florida boasts the highest density of bears in the state and can truly be called bear country. But that distinction comes with the responsibility of learning about safely coexisting with bears,” Connolly said. “Our challenge is getting people to securely store their garbage, so bears don’t develop the habit of coming into neighborhoods for an easy meal and instead stay in the forest where they belong.”

The free, family-oriented festival at Caldwell Park begins at 9 a.m. and lasts until 4 p.m. Activities include:

• Free 2-hour field trips taking festival goers deep into the Ocala National Forest, where FWC bear biologists Walter McCown and Brian Scheick will lead participants through natural bear habitat and explain black bear natural history.
• Presentations such as “Living Safely in Bear Country” by FWC bear biologist Mike Orlando; “Living with Coyotes” by William Giuliano of the University of Florida; “Living with Panthers” by Laurie Macdonald of Defenders of Wildlife; and “Florida Snakes and Reptiles” by FWC Investigator Steven McDaniel.
• “Come Be a Bear,” an interactive journey in which children put on furry vests to learn how bears find food and survive in the wild.
• Animals from Central Florida Zoo for everyone to see, from noon to 2 p.m.
• The FWC’s popular exhibit trailer featuring native Florida wildlife.
• Opportunities for children and adults to try out archery or learn how to fish.
• Storytellers recounting tales of Florida history and culture.
• Free tours of the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway and the historic Carr family cabin.
• U.S. Forest Service’s advice on camping safely in the forest, with kids getting a chance to meet Smokey Bear.

For people concerned about bears getting into their trash cans, FWC biologists will present information on options such as using bear-resistant garbage cans, installing electric fencing and modifying an existing trash can.

The festival is presented by the FWC, Defenders of Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, city of Umatilla, Lake County, Black Bear Scenic Byway and Umatilla Chamber of Commerce.

For more on the festival, visit MyFWC.com/Bear and click on Black Bear & Wildlife Festival. Go to www.umatillachamber.org/ or call 352.669.3511 for additional information.

Learn about Florida black bears at MyFWC.com/Bear, which has the updated “A guide to living in bear country” brochure.