Black bear strolling through popular Naples area Checking out the top end shops and dining at the finest restaurants
If there is a silver lining to be had, it’s that 3 of the 4 are young males. The breeding age female though is a loss for the population.
Thanks. Plus, if I recall correctly, they have their own challenges surviving to having their own territory
A bear on 5th avenue? That must have caused quite a stir. Bears are good swimmers and don’t mind doing it. It’s likely it swam over from the Naples Conservancy property through Keewadin Island. They are hungry this time of the year and show up in some weird places. I chased a similar bruin around the cottages on Gulfshore Drive many years ago.
When I was a kid oh in about 1963 at age 10 my 2 uncles took me camping in NC. Some of our relatives live up that way. They thought and it was neat for me to sleep outside in a jungle hammock. The hammock had netting and a top to keep out bugs and rain. That night they left out a loaf of bread on the table. I go to sleep easily and wake up hard. Suddenly (for effect lol) I wake from hearing a low crash and rustling. A bear was one campsite over going through their trash. I was terrified and just laid there still looking at it. Wasn’t very long before it made its way to ours. It found the bread, ate it, looked around and moved on to the next camp. As it was leaving and far enough away I unzip and haul ass into the tent to tell them what happened. They pretty much told me to go back to sleep there isn’t a bear, I imagined it. I insisted until they came outside and saw for themselves. By then other campers were awake and checking out their sites. I never camped outside a tent after that night and Im 70 soon to be 71. That bear knew what it was doing as it was rather quiet as it rummaged through stuff. If it knew I was in the hammock it didn’t care as it paid no attention to me.
Oh, that’s right - just being a male doesn’t necessarily mean your genes will be passed on - you have to earn that right and the resident male is going to object violently if he finds you hanging around one of his females in breeding condition. They often will get their skulls crushed (must be a very loud noise if you happen to be the one inside the skull).
Wanted to fling a funny emoji on you but didn’t in case it was a scary traumatic childhood event to a 10-year old Homer. Campground bears know what they are doing.
Looking back it was a neat but scary experience. No issues on my end. I had my blanket pulled totally over me except for one small hole that I was looking through. I love wildlife. Ran into a mom and two cubs hunting in Aucilla Florida. I backed away immediately to let her know i wasn’t a threat. Hunted in another area that week in case that was their territory. Let my buddies know so they stayed away also.
Same one that was at the yacht club on the catamaran. He was doing some late night dumpster diving outside some fine restaurants. If you haven't been in a while, the botanical garden by the conservancy property is worth a visit. They have done a good job with that.
I had a similar experience in Rock Springs a number of years back while scouting. I stepped out on a trail and mama bear was to my left about 50 yds and cubs were to my right. I froze, it was a bit nerve racking until the cubs ran off into the woods and mama bear quickly took off after them.
New photographic exhibit in downtown Tampa https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/...nther-highlighted-in-new-photographic-exhibit
Very cool. His photos are amazing and hard to come by. He’s worked hard at it and I wish him future success.
