Can licensed hunting of Black Bear help conservation of the species? Florida Fis
ID: 118733 • Letter: C
Question
Can licensed hunting of Black Bear help conservation of the species?
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) staff took a conservative approach to reinstating a limited bear hunt in Florida. Please formulate your understanding on the above question using the reading materials recommended below and your own findings:
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/10/151023-black-bear-hunt-florida-animals-conservation/
http://myfwc.com/news/news-releases/2015/june/22/bear-management/
http://myfwc.com/media/3358561/2015-Florida-Black-Bear-Hunt-Report.pdf
Explanation / Answer
well in my opinion both of the options are holding their certian space in the context of demand.but i would like to go with option yes licensed hunting of Black Bear will help conservation of the species, because the purpose of a limited bear hunt was to stabilize Florida’s large, resilient and growing bearpopulations.Bear populations have undoubtedly increased and expanded considerably in large portions of Florida. We have in past years invested and continue today to invest much staff time and resources in working with communities to help people understand what they can do to reduce or avoid bear conflicts, primarily by securing garbage and removing food attractants. We have seen good success in communities that adopt such measures, and these efforts are a major priority in our comprehensive bear management program.
Between 1990 and 2014, there were 49,000 total bear incidents statewide. Incidents include encounters at close range, property damage, and perceived safety hazards. The average number of run-ins over the last three years was four times greater than it was a decade earlier. On top of that, there’s been a handful of maulings. The trend is only expected to continue.
Collisions with vehicles account for about 200 bear deaths in Florida annually, plus many "conflict bears" have been removed after getting into trash, causing property damage, or menacing people.Some see a fall hunt as a win-win because problematic bears may be removed by eager hunters and bear populations in some areas will be thinned.
The Humane Society and animal rights allies helped end spring bear hunting and baiting in Colorado. They brought the end of baiting and hounding in Oregon and Washington. Opponents have had success in Massachusetts and they helped convince the California state legislature to ban hunting with hounds. Similar campaigns lost in Idaho and were narrowly defeated in Maine and Michigan.
WC staff took a conservative approach to reinstating a limited bear hunt in Florida that wasscientifically based and carefully regulated to ensure the level of harvest was completely sustainablewhile achieving the goal ofstabilizing large, growing bearpopulations.
Updated population informationfor three additional bear management unitsis expected in 2016, andinformation from the 2015 huntwill be used to guide management efforts in subsequent years.
The hunt is one component of FWC’soverall bear management strategy, and FWC will continue to invest time and resources in efforts such asoutreach and education, waste management, and removing bears that pose a threat to human safety