Florida wildlife officials have teamed up with a waste management company in northwest Florida to help reduce human-bear conflicts.
- FWC partnered with Waste Pro USA in NW Florida
- Should help people secure their trash cans from curious bears
- For more information on bears, check out MyFWC.com/Bear
On Wednesday, representatives from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Waste Pro USA, Inc. met in Tallahassee to finalize the partnership.
The organizations want to encouraging people in rural Florida communities to properly secure trash to discourage human-bear encounters that could endanger both people and the animals.
If the adjustments they plan to implement succeed in reducing interactions, the rest of the state could see similar changes in waste management.
"Waste Pro’s leadership in Northwest Florida will serve as an example for other service providers throughout the state," said FWC Commission Chairman Brian Yablonski. "We hope that more waste management companies will follow their lead.”
In June, FWC voted to postpone bear hunting in the state in 2016. It could take up the issue of bear hunts next year.
*Courtesy, FWC
Black bears are attracted to unsecured trash found at Florida residences and businesses. By properly securing trash, the FWC says communities can reduce human-bear conflicts, including the risk of serious injuries to people.
For more information about bears including how to reduce conflicts with them, visit MyFWC.com/Bear. More information about how local communities can become “BearWise” can be found at MyFWC.com/BearWise.