Defenders Calls on Governor to Veto Killing of Bears Act

Defenders of Wildlife is calling on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to veto a proposed bill that would allow residents to shoot and kill black bears on their property without penalty. HB 87, the Killing of Bears Act, not only sets a dangerous precedent for the state’s endemic black bear but also stands to snowball to include other species managed by the state, including federally co-managed endangered species like the Florida panther. Bill sponsors seem to be ignoring the fact that Florida already has laws in place that allow residents to defend themselves against any imminent wildlife threats. 

“The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has the expertise, experience and the legal authority to manage and conserve Florida’s wildlife,” said Elizabeth Fleming, senior Florida representative for Defenders of Wildlife. “While efforts by elected officials may be well-intentioned to protect human safety, we have serious concerns that this bill will result in unnecessary injuries and deaths of bears and other wildlife, as well as people in neighborhoods who may be hit by stray bullets.”  

The bill allows for the killing of black bears on private property by any Florida resident who believes a bear could harm people, pets or property. Any person who uses lethal force to kill a bear would be free of any administrative, civil or criminal penalties under the terms of the bill. The parameters of perceived harm are ill-defined and could be stretched to include bears on property showing no immediate threat. If approved, the bill could set a precedent for similar bills allowing the unjustified killing of other animals based on a perceived “threat,” regardless of whether any such threat exists.  

“Coexistence with Florida’s black bears and its diverse and abundant wildlife is one of the things that makes our state so special,” Fleming said. “It would be a travesty to stand idly by as needless killing of our unique wildlife takes place so we are hopeful Gov. DeSantis will veto this overreaching and unneeded legislation.” 

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Interactions between humans and bears can be dangerous, but there are ways to be protected without bringing harm to a native Florida species. Bears have a keen sense of smell and are drawn to food, but they can be prevented from accessing trash, bird feeders, grills, pet dishes and other food sources by keeping those items safely secured. Bear populations living near human communities are often drawn to and become conditioned to human food sources. Killing one bear will not stop others from seeking out food. 

“Rather than create an open a season on killing bears attracted into yards and private property by trash and other food sources, allocating meaningful funding for municipal trash removal and drop-off locations in rural and underserved communities could go a long way to reducing human-bear interactions,” said Fleming. “Recent funding by the state legislature to address the heart of the issue —$600,000 for waste management and attractants in Franklin County — should be applauded and replicated. This is what works.” 

Owing to decades of concerted conservation action, the Florida black bear was removed from the state’s list of threatened species in 2012. Defenders played a major role in improving the bear’s conservation status by working with other conservation groups and the state to recover the species from an estimated 500 bears in 1994 to roughly 4,000 today. Defenders led the charge on conserving and recovering the species by interconnecting habitats, advocating for safe wildlife crossings, and promoting coexistence between human and bear populations.   

Scattered across the state in several populations separated by urban developments and road networks, Florida’s black bears are still recovering and need Gov. DeSantis to veto HB 87.