Port St. Lucie police shared rare video footage Tuesday of a black bear swimming through a waterway in the Town Park community before exiting the water and running toward nearby homes. The video, posted on the Port St. Lucie Police Department's Facebook page, shows the large animal navigating through residential waters in what officials described as seasonal behavior for Florida's black bear population.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Bear Management Program said they are monitoring the bear. If it doesn't move from the area on its own, bear biologists may set a trap to try and capture and relocate it. According to the FWC, bear sightings remain rare throughout most of the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach County regions, making Tuesday's encounter particularly noteworthy for local residents.
Port St. Lucie police emphasized that while seeing a bear may be surprising, it is not necessarily cause for alarm. As Florida's black bears become more active this time of year in search of food, occasional sightings in residential neighborhoods can occur. Wildlife officials recommend maintaining significant distance from any bear, never approaching the animal, and avoiding any attempts to feed it. Residents should keep children and pets away from bears and secure potential food sources including garbage, pet food, and bird seed around their properties.