Video shows black bear at North Port, Florida home's front door

Kim Luciani, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
·2 min read

A black bear was caught on video approaching the front door of a North Port home.

The North Port Police Department responded to a report of a black bear along Tidwell Street in the North Port Estates area over the weekend, according to a post on the agency's Facebook page.

The caller reportedly told police he'd previously seen the bear on his trail camera but it was now coming closer to their home.

Video shows the bruin wandering along the home's walkway, up the front steps and to the front door, where it lingered.

Black bears are normally too shy to risk contact with humans, but their powerful need to find food can overwhelm this fear, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife.

NPPD warned residents to "secure their garbage cans and other food sources (picnic baskets) to prevent the bear from easily finding food and continuing to inhabit the neighborhood."

Residents are asked to report bear sightings in the area to FWC.

Black bear sightings common in Florida

According to FWC, more than 4,000 black bears are at home in the Sunshine State and it's not uncommon to encounter them.

What should you do if you see a bear?

If you encounter a black bear at close range, FWC advises you to stand upright, back up slowly and speak to the bear in a calm, assertive voice.

FWC also recommends the following:

  • Don't feed or intentionally attract bears

  • If a bear eats something on your property, take note and secure it

  • Don't surprise or approach a bear

If you're in your yard:

  • Make sure you're in a safe area and the bear has a clear escape route, then make noise or bang pots and pans to scare the bear away

  • Don't turn your back, play dead, climb a tree or run. Back away slowly.

  • Avoid direct eye contact as the bear may view it as aggressive behavior

Can you shoot a bear on your property?

A new Florida law allows the use of lethal force to kill a bear if the person "reasonably believed that his or her action was necessary to avoid an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to himself or herself, a pet, or substantial damage to a dwelling."

Notification must be provided to FWC within 24 hours. The agency will dispose of the bear. Possession, sale and disposal of bear parts is prohibited.

Fines for violations can be $5,000.

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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida black bear caught on video at North Port home's front door