Bear Safety in Florida
Tips from Florida Fish & Wildlife on how best to manage encounters with Florida black bears, which are becoming more common in certain parts of Florida.
Bear season in Florida
As Florida black bears become active in late winter and spring, the chances of a bear encounter go up significantly if you leave food unsecured outdoors - whether in your campsite or at home.
Bears in Jupiter
Jupiter has bears? Today's the first time I've seen them along a trail: the Longleaf Pine Trail, an interpretive nature trail at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, a lovely family escape just south of Indiantown Road near I-95.
Do not feed the bears
"A fed bear is a dead bear," says Florida Fish & Wildlife. It's time to make homeowners responsible for keeping trash and food out of reach when they live in bear territory.
Do Not Feed the Bears
Bear bagging is the art of hanging your food properly out of reach of bears. If you're a Florida backpacker and haven't learned how, here's a short course. Securing your food from bears is required in the Ocala, Osceola, and Apalachicola National Forests.
Florida Black Bear
Learn about the Florida black bear and how to handle yourself in bear habitat, whether you're hiking, camping, or a homeowner in an area where bears are common
Florida Panther
A subspecies of cougar, the Florida panther has been making a slow but steady comeback in their stronghold in Big Cypress and the Everglades, with sightings of individual cats reported by hikers throughout the state
Hiker Safety Around Wild Hogs
One of the more fearless creatures you'll encounter in Florida's wilds is the wild hog. Here is advice from Florida Fish & Wildlife on how to cope with hogs.
How to Identify a Coral Snake
Coral snake or king snake? Their coloration is similar so it's tough to tell, but remember the rhyme, "red touch yellow, kill a fellow." Don't pick snakes up!
Pelican bookends
Birding at Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge and nearby Orchid Island Beach caps off a week of bird sightings.