CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla.-- The Citrus County Sheriff's Office warns of a black bear that was spotted in Crystal River early Thursday morning. 

  • Black bear seen wandering in Crystal River
  • Sheriffs urge homeowners to keep pets on leashes
  • If bear is spotted, don't approach it, call 911 

The bear was seen wandering around West Belfast Street, off Country Road 488. Resident Valerie Maxted said the bear came just feet away from her back porch.

"I was really, really nervous because he seemed like a pretty big bear to me," Maxted said.

Maxted explained she heard a noise coming from her backyard during an otherwise quiet morning Thursday. That's when she saw the bear trying to get the food out of her bird feeders.

"He got up on the tall one there and bent it over, and then he went over to the next bird feeder and ate out of it, and then the next one," she explained.

Maxted said she called the sheriff's office and Florida Fish and Wildlife. When deputies arrived the black bear reportedly was not frightened when approached.

FWC and a state biologist were on the scene at one point to determine if something is wrong with the bear and why he was out in the open. 

Maxted said she had some trash in a jeep out back, which she thinks lured the bear close to her home. It's something she says she'll never do again.

"Make sure that you get all your food garbage in a plastic bag inside a container and leave it in your garage, especially in rural areas like this because there are animals everywhere," she said. 

The Sheriff's Office wants homeowners in the area to be aware of the bear and keep all pets on leashes. 

They urge anyone who spots the bear to not approach it and to immediately call 911.