mama bear killed in FL residential neighborhood

[Emily]

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/shalim ... -shot.html

Bear shot, two cubs orphaned
Comments 0 | Recommend 0
November 20, 2009 5:06 PM
Tom McLaughlin
Daily News
SHALIMAR — A female black bear that had become quite well known around Poquito Bayou was shot and killed Thursday night.

The two cubs she always was seen traveling with have been left to fend for themselves, said Stan Kirkland, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

David Jay, who shot the bear in his yard at 910 Woodbriar Court, told officers he was afraid the animal would charge him, Kirkland said.

An investigation began Friday morning. Jay could be charged with killing a threatened species in Florida.

Word of the bear being killed did not set well with many people who were accustomed to seeing it.

“The bear that was shot this morning in Shalimar was completely harmless,” Rachel Akers said in an e-mail. “The momma bear and the cubs lived here on Eglin by the Tricare office in which I work.

“For two weeks they would climb the tree outside our office and sleep and eat acorns. Never once did they ever try to charge us or threaten us in any way. We were four feet away at times,” Akers said.

“This story just broke all of our hearts and there is no excuse why he had to shoot that bear. He could have just went back in his house and left her alone and came out after she left.”

Virginia Pridmore echoed Akers thoughts.

“He had no right to shoot this beautiful animal,” Pridmore said of Lay, who could not be reached for comment.

“The only reason that this poor bear family is coming around is because us humans are invading their territory by continually destroying their land for our own prosperity.”

Kirkland said the bear was on Jay’s property when it was shot and there was garbage near the animal. He could not say whether the bear had gotten into Lay’s garbage.

He said several people who live near where the bear was shot were interviewed as part of the FWC investigation.

Kirkland said the orphaned bear cubs are nine to 10 months old.

“They should be plenty old and wise enough to live on their own,” he said.

With a bounty of acorns this fall, “if there’s a good time for them to be orphaned, this is the best time,” Kirkland said.