HOMESTEAD, Fla. – A wild scene in Homestead after a Black bear is caught on camera roaming through a neighborhood, even going up to someone’s front door.
There’s a search on now for the bear, who officials say is still out there somewhere.
Plenty of video cameras caught the bear at different locations around 10 p.m. on Thursday.
Ring cameras show the bear walking up to a front door and then leaving that house, but staying in the neighborhood.
Most of the video was captured in the Isles of Oasis neighborhood off Pacific Drive and 147th Avenue.
The bear was also spotted near Baptist Health Homestead Hospital. A social media post from a person inside the hospital said the lockdown happened in the emergency room where she was and lasted for about 40 minutes.
Florida Fish Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Homestead police said they are currently working to get the bear off the streets.
The area of Homestead has been under a lot of development recently and many times, development will upend wildlife.
According to the FWC, “as bears become ‘food-conditioned’ (dependent on a food source) they are more likely to frequent residential areas and cause property damage to get these unnatural food sources. Over time, they become ‘habituated,’ gradually losing their fear of humans and will return frequently to locations with accessible food.
Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill said that his No. 1 suggestion is to not run away. “If you come face to face with this bear for some odd reason, put your hands up, make yourself look at big as possible and say, ‘Hey, bear.’ More likely than not that bear is going to run away.” Magill said the worse thing to do is to “turn your back and run.”
Magill said that the bear probably was run out of its territory and is now seeking food and shelter in another way.
He points out that bears are omnivores and not carnivores.
“Their primary diet is fruits and vegetables, seeds and insects . . .,” according to Magill.
Officials are suggesting that people be aware of their surroundings.
See FWC recommendations about what to do if you encounter a bear.